Full text of "Historical Collections of the Topsfield Historical Society"

See other formats

^ THE

HISTORICAL

COLLECriONS

' OF THE

TOP8FIELD HISTOBIC AL SOCIETY

VOL. VIII.

1902.

TQPSFIELD, MASS.:
Published by the Society.
1902.

Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2015

https://archive.org/details/historicalcollec08unse

RESIDENCE OF BRADLEY W, PALMER,

THE

HISTORICAL
COLLECTION S

OF THE

TOPSPIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

VOL. VIII,

1902.

TOPSFIELD, MASS. :
Published by the Society.
1902.

GEORGE FRANCIS DOW,
Editor.

THE MERRILL PRESS,

llU8».

CONTENTS.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS. BY JOHN H.

TOWNE, Illustrated, . _ _ . _ i

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD. COMPILED BY JOHN H. TOWNE, 70

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD, WITH SOME ACCOUNT
OF THE SMITH FAMILY. BY JOSEPH F. SMITH,

JR., Illustrated, - - - - ~ 87

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD. BY MISS H.

ROSA TOWNE, Illustrated, - - - - 102

TOPSFIELD VITAL STATISTICS, 1902, - - - 1 29

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS, 1902, - - - - 132

BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED, I902, - - - - 1 32

THE ECHODALE FARM,

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

BY JOHN H. TOWNE.

The following account of the dwelling-houses, stores,
shops and public buildings in Topsfield is compiled from
the assessors’ records and from deeds and various records in
private hands. This list gives the exact date of the con-
struction of every house, and many other buildings, erected in
the town since 1859, and, with but few exceptions, supplies the
approximate date of erection of all houses built before that pe-
riod and now standing. Reference is also given to the same
property when taxed in the United States Direct Tax of 1798,
as printed in the Historical Collections, Vol. VII, pages 57-89,
and when a picture of the building has already appeared in
the Historical Collections, reference is given to the volume
and page.

I desire to make acknowledgement here for the valuable
assistance given by Mrs. George Warren Towne, Miss Mari-
etta Clarke, the Misses Dwinell, Miss Mehitable Todd, Mrs.
Mary L. Nichols, Isaac Newton Averill, Salmon D. Hood,
Jacob Foster, Benjamin J. Balch, George Francis Dow and
many others who have freely given information or assisted
in other ways. The following list, though prepared with
much care, is probably far from being perfect or absolutely
complete, and the author will be glad to obtain, for the
purpose of printing in a later volume of the Historical
Collections, any corrections or additional information relating
to these buildings or to the location of other buildings that
have now disappeared.

The houses and buildings in the following list, are ar-
ranged consecutively by streets which are in alphabetical
order. For convenience in searching for information the
streets in the town are here listed.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Asbury Grove street, from Ipswich street to Hamilton line.

Boston street, the Boston and Newburyport Turnpike, from
the Danvers line to the Ipswich line.

Boxford street, from Washington street to the Boxford line.

Central street, formerly Mutton Lane and later Mechanic’s
Court, from Main street to High street and
Perkins street.

Cross street, from Rowley Bridge street to Hill street.

East street, from Ipswich street to Ipswich line.

Garden street, from Hill street to Boston street.

Grove street, from Main street to Washington street.

Haverhill street, from Ipswich street to Boxford line.

High street, from Washington street to Wenham line.

Hill street, from Salem street to Rowley Bridge street.

Hewlett street, “the old road,” from the Common to Perkins
street.

Ipswich street, from corner of Main and Haverhill streets to
the Ipswich line.

Main street, from Boston street to Ipswich street.

Meeting House lane, from Howlett street to Perkins street.

Middleton road, from Rowley Bridge street to the Middle-
ton line.

Mill street, from Washington street to the Boxford line.

North street, from Ipswich street to the Ipswich line.

Park street, formerly Railroad avenue, from Main street to
Summer street.

Perkins street, from the corner of High and Central streets
to Ipswich street. The part from Meeting
House lane to Ipswich street for a long time
has popularly been known as the “Bonney’s
Featherbed road.”

Pine street, from Ipswich street to Haverhill street.

Pond street, from Haverhill street to Ipswich line.

Prospect street, from Main street to River street.

Ridge street, from Ipswich street, across the Turnpike to
Perkins street.

River street, from Salem street, across Washington street to
Boxford line.

Rowley street, from Haverhill street to Ipswich line.

Rowley Bridge street, from River street to the Danvers line.

HIGHLAND FARM.

Residence of Eugene L, Wildes, Asbury Street.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Salem street, from Main street, across tke Turnpike to Dan-
vers line.

School avenue, from Main street to the school grounds.
Summer street, from Main street to High street.

Washington street, from Main street to Boxford line.
Wenham street, from Salem street to High street.

Wildes street, from Boston street, across East street to
Ipswich line.

Bradley W. Palmer, Asbury Grove St. This two story
residence with stable, was erected in 1902. The stone work
was done by Connolly Bros, of Beverly P'arms, and the wood
work by Herbert W. Porter, of Wenham.

J. Arthur Lamson, Asbury Grove St. The middle
part of this two story house, originally one story, is over two
hundred years old. It has been remodeled several times
during the past century and several additions have been
built. The eastern end was built for Capt. John Lamson in
1840, by Capt. Israel D. Elliott. The new barn was built in
1893, by Albert H. Towne of Boxford. The property has
remained in the possession of this family since the original
purchase over two hundred and twenty years ago.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 78, line 3.

Eugene L. Wildes, Asbury Grove St. The present two
story house was built for Israel Wildes in 1875, by John H.
Potter. An old house that formerly stood nearly opposite
to the Smith-Earle house and which had been occupied by
Mr. Wildes, was taken down in 1879.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 67, line 32.

Daniel O. Earle, Asbury Grove St. This two story
house was built for Capt. Joseph and Thomas Cummings in
1778-9, and formerly stood very near the road, where it was
occupied of late years by Willard Smith, and later by his
son Augustus W. Smith. In 1899 the property was pur-
chased by its present owner and shortly after the house was
moved to its present location and extensively remodeled.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

A new barn and outbuildings were built the same year.
The farm house was built in 1901. See Hist. Colls. Vol.
VII, p. 68, line 12. On the upland, to the southward, there
stood, as early as 1780, a small one story house, where after-
ward lived Jonas, the eldest son of Thomas Cummings. He
died in 1804 and his widow sold the property to John and
Reuben Smith in 1815.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. V, pp. 12, 22; Vol. VII, p. 67, line 27.

Robert Foss, Asbury Grove St. The present two story
house was built for Capt. William Cummings in 1823-4.
The old one story house which formerly stood a short dis-
tance northeast from the present house, was taken down in
1883. There are supposed to have been no less than six
houses built on this farm at different times. The first one
was located near the river and is said to have been destroyed
by Indians. On the left-hand side of the road, toward the
south, stood, as late as 1830, a two story house then occu-
pied by John McKenzie, who was the father of Samuel S.
McKenzie.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII. p. 68, line i; Vol. VII, p. 67, line 18.

Thomas W. Peirce, off Boston St. This two story house
was built before 1798, when it was owned by Israel Rea. It
was remodeled in 1900, for its present owner, by Henry H.
Roberts, the barn being remodeled and a stable built at the
same time.

See 'Fopsfield Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 85, line i.

Site of Archelaus Towne House, off Boston St.
Nearly opposite the road leading to the Peirce-Rea farm and
on a private way leading to what is now the Batchelder farm
on Rowley Bridge street, formerly stood a small house built
about 1711 and occupied in 1800 by Archelaus Towne. The
house was sold to the Emersons and removed in 1803 to a
site near what is now George F. Averell’s cider mill on Hill
street. In 1857 the house was taken down.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 88, line i.

Thomas W. Peirce, Boston St. A two story house was
standing upon this location before 1798* Rom which, accord-
ing to tradition, Mary Esty, accused of witchcraft in 1692,
was taken to Salem jail and afterwards tried and executed.
Her son Isaac was living here at that time, while her husband
and the rest of her family were living at what is now the

RESIDENCE OF DANIEL OSBORNE EARLE, ASBURY STREET.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Agricultural Farm. Hon. Benjamin W. Crowninshield, Secre-
tary of the Navy, under Presidents Madison and Monroe,
purchased the property in 1821 and remodeled the house,
which was again remodeled at a considerable expense, in
1872-3, for Thomas W. Peirce, sen., by Jacob Foster, and
again in 1900-01, for its present owner, by Pitman & Brown of
Salem. The farm-house was built in 1870, by Jacob Foster,
and the porter’s lodge and other buildings were built in 1880,
by Goldthwaite & Day of Salem.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VI, p. 83; Vol. VII, p. 71, line 6.

South School House, Boston St. The first school
house on this location was built in 1794 at a cost of ;^39.4. 10
and stood farther back from the road than the present one
which was built in 1845 by Charles C. Brackett and Daniel
Willey. In 1899 the latter was sold at auction to David
Pingree. The first building was sold to Ebenezer Eastman
for $57.00 and by him to John Jewett, who intended to re-
model it into a dwelling house but changed his purpose and
in 1849-50 had it removed to Peabody, then South Danvers,
and located near Symond’s Hotel, north from Peabody square
on what is now Central street.

David Pingree, Boston St. This two story house was
originally the toll-house of the Boston and Newburyport Turn-
pike Corporation and was built in 1804-5. afterward

owned and occupied by Luke Towne and then purchased by
Asa Pingree.

Old Fort, off Boston St. According to tradition as re-
peated by Enos Estey, aged 73, in 1845, and also as shown
on a map of the Agricultural Farm drawn by Samuel S.
McKenzie in 1858, a fort, built for protection against the
Indians, formerly stood on the Agricultural Farm, in the field
behind the pine grove, near the brook and towards the David
G. Perkins place, now owned by Rev. George L. Gleason.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. V, p. 129.

Levi L. Beal, Boston St. This one story house was built
for Benjamin F. Adams in 1843, by Daniel Willey.

John H. Dodge, Boston St. This one story house was
built for its present owner in 1872, by John H. Potter.

Mrs. Edward S. Thayer, Boston St. This two story
house with stable and outbuildings was built for its present
owner in 1899-1900, by Pitman & Brown of Salem.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Arthur A. Clarke, Boston St. This two story house
was built for Benjamin Glazier in 1859, by Jacob Foster.
Both house and stable were remodeled for the present owner
in 1892-3. A portion of the stable was originally the East
school-house, which was built in 1794 (see Dr. H. F. Sears,
Perkins street). In 1847 it was sold to Daniel Willey, for
$22.75, who removed it to what is now High street and located
it not far from what is now the entrance to the A. W. Pace
house. There it was used for a carpenter’s shop, by Daniel
Willey and Thomas Perkins, until about i860, when it was
sold to Benjamin Glazier, who had it removed to its present
location.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VI, p. 89.

The Old Meeting House Barn, off Boston St. In the
Smerage field, at the foot of Great hill and on the westerly
side of the Turnpike, formerly stood a barn which, by tradi-
tion, was originally the meeting-house, which was built in
what is now Pine Grove Cemetery, in 1663. When the new
meeting-house was built on the Common, in 1703, the use of
the earlier building was discontinued, and March 7, 1703-4,
the town voted to sell the old meeting-house to Sergt. John
Gould for .^5, in money, he to have the glass.

Benjamin C. Dodd, Boston St. This one story house
was built for Cyrus Peabody in 1845, by Thomas Peabody.
It was remodeled for the present owner, by William Welch,
in 1897.

Miss Hattie S. Porter, Boston St. This two story
house was built for Col. John Wildes in 1808, by Amos
Wildes. It was first occupied by John Peabody and after-
wards, for several years, was used as a public house or tavern.
Nehemiah Perkins also kept a grocery store for some time
in the south-west room and basement. Between the years of
1830 and 1850, seven different ministers, appointed to the
charge of the Methodist church, lived in this house, so that
it was often called “the Parsonage.” Samuel S. McKenzie
taught a singing school here in 1848 and 1849, and Dea.
Augustine S. Peabody, for many years a selectman, and for
over forty years superintendent of the Sunday-school at the
Congregational church, was born here March 8, 1811.

THE ALFRED S. CUMMINGS HOUSE, ASBURY STREET, 1898,

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Estate of Elmore Johnson, Boston St. This one
story house was built for Alfred P. Towne in 1849, by Con-
stantine McKenzie. Before the house was quite finished, Mr.
McKenzie and his brother Alfred, started for the gold-fields
of upper California, sailing from Boston, Nov. 13, 1849.
This house was first occupied by John S. Whipple, who car-
ried on a butchering business here in 1850-1. It was after-
wards occupied by Alfred P. Towne; Rev. Stephen G. Hiler,
a Methodist minister; William Herrick, for many years a
captain on the Boston police force ; Capt. Pinkham, who
finally lost his vessel and his life on the high seas; and also
by several others.

Site of the first Methodist Church, Boston St. It
stood on the west side of the Newbury port Turnpike, on a
knoll, near a little pond, about midway between Ipswich street
and the old Ipswich road. The building was forty feet square
and one story in height. For picture, see Hist. Colls. Vol.
Ill, p. 26. Timothy Monroe, of Lynn, was the contractor,
and the frame was raised Oct. 19, 1831, and the church ded-
icated Dec. 28, 1831. In Jan., 1840, this building was moved
by fifty yoke of oxen, to a new location on Main street, some
fifty feet north-easterly from the John B. Lake house. When
the present Methodist church was built, in 1853-4, the earlier
building was sold to Isaiah M. Small, a carpenter, who had it
removed to his place on Washington street (now owned by
Mrs. Susan Perkins) and used it for a barn. It is still in use
and the double window that overlooks the railroad track,
once occupied the place of honor behind the pulpit in the
first Methodist church in Topsfield.

Robert W. Halliday, Boston St. Not long after the
completion of the Turnpike (1805), a building was moved
from Newburyport and located here by Asa W. Wildes, who
had it made into a dwelling-house. In 1845, f^e one story
house now standing east of the above house, was built for
Joseph W. Rust, by Samuel Clark. The house was remodeled
for Mark R. Pearson about 1882, by John H. Potter.

Frank L. Gilliland, Boxford St. This one story house
long known as “the Cooper Perkins place,” is probably the
William lies house, built in Boxford in 1719 (see Perley’s
Dwellings of Boxford, p. 145). It was moved from Boxford

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

to this site in 1820 and occupied by Henry Perkins, who was
a cooper by trade. The back yard is paved with flat stones.

Fred Dodson, Boxford St. This one story house was
built for George Augustus Frame in 1897, t>y Henry H.
Roberts.

Mrs. William H. Butrick, Boxford St. This one story
house was originally a shop on the Dea. Julius A. Palmer
place in Boxford. In 1859-1860 it was bought by Tobias D.
Reed, who had it moved to this location and made into a
dwelling-house.

The Gould Building, Central St. This two story
birilding, the first floor of which has been occupied for sev-
eral years by Jacob J. Hardy, harness maker, was originally
a carpenter shop and barn built by Charles C. Bracket, in
1839, for his own use. He sold the building to Andrew
Gould in 1847. The lower story was used as a restaurant,
or store, for some years. Some of the proprietors were a
Mr. Hale from Boxford, Thomas Perley, Samuel B. Perkins,
and Herbert Gould of this town. Fountain Lodge I. O. O.
F., No. 170, was organized, Dec. 31, 1874, in the small hall on
the second floor of this building. The lodge removed to
the new hall in Bailey’s Block, Nov. ii, 1875. A few years
later the Topsfield Brass Band was organized and used this
hall for its headquarters. With the exception of one or two
short periods it occupied this hall continuously until 1900,
when the organization disbanded.

Charles H. Leach, Central St. The Leach & Wilson
wheelwright shop, one story, formerly stood where the
railroad track is now, and in front of the site of the old
station, and was built for Thomas K. Leach in 1838.
In 1853, when the railroad was built, the shop was moved
and placed on Main street, in front of what is now the Leach
stable, and a few years later was again moved and placed at its
present location. Leach’s market, one story, the next build-
ing, was originally a carriage house and workshop, remod-
eled for William Porter Gould in December, 1886. It stood
on Main street near the house now owned by George P.
Dow, and adjoining the line between this property and the
estate now owned by Justin Allen, M. D. Charles H. Leach
bought the building in 1893 moved it to its present loca-
tion where it has since been used for a market.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Job H. Frame, Central St. The one story house, now
occupied by Jacob J. Hardy, was built for Benjamin Adams
in 1846, by Constantine McKenzie. Mr. Adams was popu-
larly known as “Little Ben” Adams, there being three Ben-
jamin Adams living in the town at that time, — Benjamin
P. Adams, the store-keeper and postmaster; Benjamin F.
Adams, who lived in what is now the Levi L. Beal house,
Boston street, and who was known as “Superintendent”
Adams, he having had charge of the Topsfield almshouse
for several years; and lastly, “Little Ben”, who lived in this
house until his death, March 3, 1849. It was afterwards
occupied by Ariel H. Gould, William H. Munday and
Richard Ward, all of them butchers; George A. Towne,
carpenter, and builder of several houses in town ; and Ira
P. Long, blacksmith, who preceded the present occupant.

The John H. Potter House, Central St. This one
story house was built in 1848, by the late John H. Potter for
his own occupancy, and was the first dwelling-house erected
by that veteran carpenter. The carpenter’s shop located in
the corner of the front lot, was originally the William E.
Kimball blacksmith shop and stood where the Kimball gro-
cery store is today. When William E. Kimball gave up
the blacksmithing business and opened a grocery store, he
sold his shop to Henry Long. This was about 1836. The
shop was removed to a point just below what is now the
railroad crossing on Main street, on land now owned by
William H. Herrick and used for a garden, but then owned
by Capt. William Munday. The shop remained here several
years and until Henry Long sold it to Constantine McKenzie,
carpenter, who moved it to his lot on what is now Central
street and placed it at its present location. McKenzie went
to California in 1849, and about the same time he sold the
lot and shop to Mr. Potter.

William S. Bell, Central St. This one story shop,
since 1882 used as a paint shop by its present owner, was
built for Capt. William Munday about 1850, by John H.
Potter. It was first used as a carriage house, and afterwards
as a carpenter shop, by George A. Towne who occupied it
until his death which occurred April 10, 1882.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Isaac M. Woodbury, Central St. The one story build-
ing adjoining Bell’s paint shop, was built for Thomas K.
Leach before 1870, and used by him as a storehouse for
lumber. On the easterly side of this building, stood, until
the fall of 1895, when it was taken down by Charles H. Leach,
a small one story building which formerly was used by Leach
& Wilson for a steam sawmill. The larger part of the build-
ing was erected in 1861, an addition being made some years
afterwards.

William H. Kneeland, Central St. This one story
house was built for its present owner in 1868, by John H.
Potter.

Isaac M. Woodbury, Central St. This one story house
was built for Elizabeth W. and Sarah J., daughters of Jesse
Perley of Boxford, in 1852, by John H. Potter.

Benjamin Poole, Central St. This one story house was
built for Mrs. Lavinia (Knowlton) Moore, wife of Thomas
Moore, in 1847-8, by Aaron Dodge of Wenham.

Miss Dora L. Osgood, Central St. A small part of the
present two story house was originally a part of Benjamin
Herrick’s wheelwright shop which stood where William
Long’s dwelling-house is now located on Main street. About
1850 it was moved to its present location by J. Perkins Towne
who had it fitted up for a dwelling-house. For many years
it was occupied by John Bowden, a house painter. In 1893,
it was extensively remodeled for its present owner, the larger
part of the body of the house being newly built by John H.
Potter.

James Wilson, Central St. This two story house was
built for R. Sumner Perkins in 1847, by Daniel Willey.

Estate of Enos Fuller, Central St. This one story
house was built for Samuel B. Perkins in 1850, by John H.
Potter.

Isaac M. Woodbury, Central St. This two story house
was built for its present owner in 1876, by William
Morgan. The slaughter-house and barn were built the
same year. The house narrowly escaped destruction by
fire, Dec. 13, 1885. Loss about $500. The two story
dwelling-house at the corner of Central and Summer
streets, and now occupied by Richard Ward, was originally

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS. II

a part of the old Dr. Nehemiah Cleaveland house on Main
street. In 1873, Joseph E. Stanwood presented the build-
ing to the Congregational parish, intending it for a parsonage.
The parish afterwards sold it to Charles H. Holmes, Esq.,
and in 1891, when his estate was settled, it was sold at auction
to I. M. Woodbury and by him removed from its location on
the same lot, but near the brook, to its present site. Exten-
sive alterations were made at that time.

E. Perkins Averill, Central St. This one story house
was built for its present owner in 1876, by John H. Potter.

The John Smith House, Central St. This one story
house was built by John H. Potter in 1877 and by him
exchanged with John Smith for the Foster farm on North
street now owned by Franklin Magraw.

Amos L. Hodgdon, Central St. This one story house
was built by its present owner in 1877.

JosiAH P. Perkins, Central St. This two story house
was built for its present owner in 1901, by Henry H. Roberts.

Ephraim Perkins, Central St. This two story house
was taxed to Jacob Perkins as early as 1768. It was remod-
eled for its present owner in 1877, by John H. Potter.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 83, line 21.

Rev. George L. Gleason, Central St. This two story
house, occupied by Herbert J. Lewis, was built for David
Perkins in 1815. Across the road, but near the corner of
Central and High streets, formerly stood a two story house
in which lived David Perkins, sen. This house was taken
down a few years after the new house was built.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. Vll, p. 81, line 36.

J. Morris Meredith, Cross St. This property was
long known as the “Donation Farm” because Dea. George
Bixby, the owner, bequeathed the estate to the selectmen of
Topsfield, in trust, the income to be applied to the support
of the ministers of the Congregational denomination in
Topsfield, and the farm to be known as “The donation farm
for the support of the Gospel.” Dea. Bixby died Jan. 5,
1825. The two story house was taxed to Daniel Bixby in
1768, and was remodeled for Capt. Isaac A. Morgan, the
owner, in 1872. The small house was built for Dea. Daniel
Bixby, early in the 19th century, and was occupied by his

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

farm help. It was relocated and remodeled for Capt.
Morgan in 1872. Benjamin Bixby was living on this farm
as early as 1690. In 1899 the property was purchased of
Charles V. Jackman, by J. Morris Meredith of Boston, who
built his new house in 1899-1900.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VI, p. 87; Vol. VII, p. 63, line i.
Miss Mary T. Robinson, East St. This two story
house was built for John Conant in 1835, by Capt. Israel D.
Elliott, an old two story house which was located south-
easterly, about one hundred feet distant, being taken down
the same year. A barn standing on this place, was
destroyed by fire in December, 1870.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 80, line 14
Mrs. Amanda Foster, East St. The body of this one
story house was moved to this site (probably from Line-
brook) for widow Sarah Averill and her sister Miss Anna
Clarke, in 1826, and an addition was built shortly after.

William S. Bell, East St. Isaac Comings was living
on this site, or near here, as early as the spring of 1663. A
one story house, now the northern part of the present build-
ing, was standing on this site as early as 1747, when it was
taxed to Nathaniel Low, who sold the property to Samuel
Low and John Bradstreet, June 9, 1753. They sold to
Charles Davis, Feb. 26, 1787, who in turn sold to David
Hobbs, blacksmith, in 1798. At that time the house con-
tained four windows and twenty square feet of glass. Hobbs’
blacksmith shop was located beside the road and near
the brook and is still standing. On the south side of the
brook and about one hundred feet from the bridge, is an old
cellar, the house having disappeared a great many years ago.
It may have been the location of the old Cummings house.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. V, pp. 7, 9; Vol. VII, p. 85, line 31.
David Pingree, Garden St. The old one story house
long known as “the red house,” from the color that it was
painted, was built before 1798. At that time it was occupied
by Dominick Moore and had 15 windows and 48 square feet
of glass. In it, in 1841, Rufus Choate argued the case for
the petitioner, at the hearing over laying out this street as
a public way. The house was taken down in the spring of
1902. A large barn standing near this house was burned
in 1854. See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 61, line 33. “The

RESIDENCE OF WILLIAM WELCH, GROVE STREET.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

white house,” on the other side of the road, so called
in contradistinction to “the red house,” was built for Asa
Pingree in 1838, by C. C. Brackett. This street was laid out
as a town way Jan. i, 1842.

Mrs. Eveline Burnham, Grove St. In i860, George
H. Waterhouse, a blacksmith, moved from Middleton, a barn
that he bought of Mrs. William Munday, and relocated it
on this spot, using it for a blacksmith shop. It was after-
wards used by W. S. Bell, painter, and in 1882, William
Gallup, the owner, had it remodeled into a dwelling-house.
The large shop between the house and the street was built
by John H. Potter for George H. Waterhouse, in 1863.
It was used for a tool factory. He made axes and dies.

Grove street was named by Mrs. Osgood Perley about
1 860-1. She then lived in the chambers of the Elisha Hood
house on Main street, now owned by Dr. Justin Allen. She
had a sign painted with the name, and placed at the corner
of Main and Grove streets. The name originated with Cen-
tennial Grove, a fine grove of oak trees which covered the
knoll that formerly was just beyond the J. B. Poor house, and
on which the centennial address was delivered in 1850.

William Welch, Grove St. This two story house was
built for Mrs. John G. Hood in 1859, by John H. Potter.

Mrs. Charles Winslow, Grove St. This one story
house was built for Charles Winslow in 1869, by John H.
Potter.

Benjamin A. Orne, Grove St. This one story house
was built in 1859 for Mrs. Benjamin C. Orne, by John H.
Potter.

Edward H. Ferguson, Grove St. This one story
house was a dwelling-house in Middleton for about fifteen
years and was taken down and placed on the present location
in i860, an addition being made at the same time. Jacob
Foster was the carpenter.

Mrs. Elizabeth H. Rust, Grove St. This two story
house was built in 1876, for Joseph W. Rust, by John H.
Potter.

The Neilson House, Grove St., two stories, formerly
owned by Daniel E. Hurd, was built for him in 1875, by
George A. Towne.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

The Herrick House, Grove St., two stories, was built
for William E. Kimball by Jacob Foster, in 1871.

Joseph B. Poor, Grove St. This two story house, now
occupied by John W. Burton, was formerly a stitch shop,
built for Robert Lake in 1858. It formerly stood near what
is now the Burnham shop on this street, and was afterwards
removed to where Herrick’s small shoe shop now stands on
Main street, where it remained a few years when it was pur-
chased by William B. Kimball and again removed to Grove
street and placed at its present location. He had it remod-
eled into a dwelling-house in 1866, the work being done by
Jacob Foster.

Calvin W. Fuller, Grove St. This small one story
building, of late years occupied by elderly men who have
lived alone, was originally a shoe shop built for Josiah Gould,
about 1840, by Samuel Clarke. It stood on his farm on
Washington street until 1855, when it was sold to A. Porter
Kneeland for $62.50. He had it removed and placed in the
corner of the house-lot on Main street, now owned by Mrs.
Abram Welch, where he used it as a shoe shop. In 1871,
he sold it to Abram Welch, who sold it to John Janes the
following year. He had it removed to its present location
and there lived in it. Janes afterwards went to Utica, N. Y.,
and the building since that time has popularly been known
as “Utica.”

Miss Florence M. Gould, Grove St. This one story
house was built for its present owner in 1902, by L. A. Guppy
of Danvers.

J. Porter Gould, Grove St. This one story house was
built for its present owner in 1871, by John H. Potter. The
shop, until recently used for a millinery store by its owner,
was built in 1889.

John Lynch, Grove St. This two story house was built
for its present owner in 1869, by John H. Potter. The end
next to the railroad was originally the addition which Joseph
W. Reed had built on the Academy building in 1862-3, and
which was sold to Ariel H. Gould and removed to this loca-
tion, when the town purchased that building to be used as a
school-house.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

The Merriam-Todd House, Haverhill St. This two
story house was built for Dr. John Merriam in 1797, the
ell being added in 1828. In 1856 the property was sold to
Samuel Todd and it has remained in the possession of
this family since that time.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII. p. 78, line i; Vol. VII, p. 127.

The Merriam Shop and Barn, Haverhill St., formerly
stood beside the road in the field between the Palmer house
and the cemetery. The shoe shop occupied by Henry A.
Merriam was removed to his lot on Main street before July,
1841, when he sold one half of the shop and lot to Augus-
tine S. Peabody. Nov. 25, 1843, he sold the remaining
half to Augustine S. Peabody, who remodeled it into the
dwelling-house now owned by Thomas J. Kneeland. The
barn was destroyed by fire in November, 1853.

Meeting-House in the Cemetery, Haverhill St. The
first meeting-house in town was located near the junction of
Howlett street and Meeting-house Lane. In 1663, Rev.
Thomas Gilbert was invited to settle at Topsfield, and the
families who lived at Rowley Village (Boxford) agreed to
pay a part of his salary if the meeting-house was placed
at a location more convenient for them to attend service.
Accordingly, in the fall of 1663 a new meeting-house was
built in what is now the cemetery. It is said that the pulpit
was located over the spot where afterwards Parson Capen
was buried. His stone is some fifty feet from the main
entrance and on the left hand side. In September, 1675, a
stone wall or fort was built around this meeting-house, for
protection against Indian attack, and March 5, 1706, when
the town voted “to fence in the burying place with a stone
wall” the record mentions “the west gate of y® old meeting-
house fort.” The meeting-house had then been removed,
for March 7, 1703-4 the town had voted to sell it to “sargt
John Gould for £^. in money, he to have the glass.” Tradi-
tion says that it was afterwards located in what is now the
Smerage field at the foot of the hill on the westerly side of
the Turnpike at Springville. In April, 1896, when the grave
was dug for the interment of the body of Edward A. Hood
(Elisha Hood lot), a cellar wall was uncovered, the cellar
hole beside it having been filled up with rubbish, bricks.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

charcoal, etc. Several old knives were found which were
simply flakes of iron rust. The hearse house, which stands
at the rear of the main entrance, was built in 1895, by John
H. Potter.

Erwin T. Phillips, Haverhill St. This one story house
was built by Timothy M. Phillips in 1855, for his own occu-
pancy.

Frank E. Gould, Haverhill St. This small one story
house was built by its present owner in 1901.

Site of Israel Gallup House, Haverhill St. Just
beyond Gallup’s brook, at the top of the first rise and on the
right hand side, is the site of the two story house occupied
by the Gallup family for many years. In 1830, Samuel
Phillips was living here and the last occupants were Widow
Sally Kneeland and her family. The house was taken down
in 1858 by Samuel Clarke.

Cellar of Stephen Perley House, off Haverhill St.
On this site was an old two story house which was burned
in February, 1867, and which was last occupied by Stephen
Perley.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. 1 1, p. 105; Vol. VII, p. 83, line 36.

A short distance west from this house formerly stood
William Money’s one story house which was destroyed by
fire.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 78, line 39.

Cellar of Ivory Hovey House, off Haverhill St. The
old house and barn located near Pye brook at “Hovey’s
Plain,” were assessed to Ivory Hovey in 1816. He died
Oct. 3, 1816. The property was bought by Billy and
Joseph Emerson and rented to Timothy Emerson who was
the last occupant of the house, the buildings being destroyed
by fire Jan. 2, 1821. For interesting account of the fire, see
Salem Gazette.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 71, line i.

Silas Deland, Haverhill St. This one story house with
brick basement was originally the school-house erected for
the town in 1795, on the Common near the meeting-house.
In 1845 sold to William G. Lake and by him sold to

E. Sumner Bixby who had it removed to its present location
and remodeled into a dwelling-house. It was successively
occupied by Daniel Spiller, William Blanchard and Mrs.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS. 1 7

Elizabeth Deland. In this building, while a school-house,
Jacob Kimball and William R. Hubbard conducted many
oldtime singing-schools.

Charles G. Cotton, Haverhill St. This two story
house was built for Elbridge Sumner Bixby, in 1837. Some
three hundred feet southeasterly from the present house, on
the left-hand side of the road leading to the pond, formerly
stood an old two story house, which was owned by Benjamin
Bixby in 1798. It was destroyed by fire in May, 1867, it
then being known as the Humphrey Perley place.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 62, line 32.

The Methodist Parsonage, High St. This two story
house was built by John H. Potter for the Methodist society,
in 1850, largely through the endeavors of Rev. Kinsman
Atkinson, at that time pastor of that society. Mr. Atkinson
also taught school in the Topsfield Academy, the school at
the North district and at Linebrook.

Henry W. Lake, High St. This one story house was
originally a shoe shop built for Charles Herrick in 1837
and standing where the large Herrick shop is now located.
In 1850, it was removed to the site of the present small
shop to make room for the new shop, and remodeled by
Jacob Foster, the following year, at its present location. Its
present owner has also remodeled it somewhat.

Mrs. Mary R. Hodges, High St. On the rising ground
in the field below the present house, formerly stood a small
two story house which was taxed to Jacob Towne as early
as 1774. The present house was built in the fall of 1815.
The barn was built in 1810. Jacob Towne and his son
Jacob Perkins Towne were town clerks of Topsfield from
1810 to 1878 and the latter was clerk of the Congregational
parish for 50 years. The town records were kept in this
house for 70 years.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VI I, p. 87, line 19.

Mrs. J. Freemont Perkins, High St. This two story
house was built in 1829 for Moses and Solomon Wildes,
trustees for Mrs.. Rachel, widow of Col. Ephraim Wildes, of
Boston, but she did not live to occupy it. Prof. Francis
Vose, the first principal of the Topsfield Academy was its
first occupant, living here, 1830-1831.

1 8 TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Greenleaf T. Metcalf, High St. This two story house
was built for J. Perkins Towne in 1843-4, ^ residence for

Rev. Anson McLoud. When Mr. McLoud first came to
Topsfield he lived in the house owned and occupied by J.
Perkins Towne. In 1898-9 it was remodeled somewhat by
its present owner.

Mrs. Isabelle MacCormack, High St. This one story
house was built for Miss Eliza Bradstreet in the spring of
1844, by Calvin Putnam of Danvers. (See Topsfield Hist.
Colls. Vol. I, p. 30, for account of her trial for arson.) In
1846, she married Silas Cockrane, harness-maker, and the
house was long known by his name.

The Henry Herrick House, High St. This one story
house was originally the Jacob Averill house and located at
“The Colleges.” It was afterwards used as a carpenter’s
shop, and in 1840 it was bought by J. Perkins Towne and
Samuel Todd and removed to its present location, where it
was remodeled into a dwelling-house by Charles C. Brackett,
and first occupied by Nathaniel Perkins, jr., who bought the
house in 1841.

Miss Ruth Perley, High St. This two story house,
originally a small cottage, was built for Mrs. Elizabeth Waitt
in 1829. It was remodeled and raised to two stories, in
1882, by William Morgan, for Mrs. Elizabeth (Waitt) Perley.
The present two story building in the rear was erected in
1892, by H. H. Roberts. The small building next the Agge
driveway was originally William Waitt’s shoe shop and stood
on its present location. In 1872 it was remodeled and used
for a dwelling by Dwight L. Boyden.

The Towne-Stiles House, High St. This two story
house was built for Frederick Stiles, in 1844-5, by Charles C.
Brackett. A two story shoe shop, that formerly stood a
short distance easterly from the house, was built in 1869 and
in 1885 removed across the street and placed in the rear
of the Ruth Perley house, where it was remodeled and used
as a laundry and store-house. Feb. 26, 1892 it was des-
troyed by fire, the barn being destroyed at the same time.

Edward E. Ferguson, High St. This one story house
was built for Isaac Newton Averill in 1861, by Jacob Foster.

JACOB A. TOWNE HOUSE, HIGH ST,

Torn down in 1857.

Redrawn from a pencil sketch made about 1835-1840
by Alonzo Lewis, of Lynn,

THE TOPSFIELD HOTEL, HIGH ST,
From a pencil sketch made about i835-i840
by Alonzo Lewis, of Lynn,

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

William Agge, off High St. This one story house was
built for its present owner in 1892, by Henry H. Roberts
and a large addition was made in 1896, by the same carpenter.

Andrew L. Peirce, High St. This two story house
was built for Rev. Anson McLoud in 1861, by Charles
Treadwell of Ipswich. Mr. McLoud was settled over the
Congregational Society from 1841-1869. He was living in
this house at the time of his death, Feb. 21, 1883.

See Hist, Colls. Vol. Ill, p. 37

The Francis Curtis House, High St. This one story
house was built by Francis Curtis in 1875, for his own
occupancy.

Miss Clara Ellen Perkins, High St. This two story
house was built for Daniel Perkins in 1848, by Charles C.
Brackett. Jacob Foster, who built many houses in town,
worked on this house as an apprentice. Nearly upon the
same site formerly stood the famous Topsfield Hotel, built
in 1803-4 for the Boston and Newburyport Turnpike Corpor-
ation. At this hotel was held the famous Topsfield Caucus
in 1808; here was organized the confederation of County
Lyceums, in 1829, and the Essex County Natural History
Society, from which grew the Essex Institute and the Pea-
body Academy of Science, was organized here in 1834.
This hotel became the stage-centre of Essex County and in
its parlors were held many political and social gatherings.
In August, 1844, the building was taken down and moved
by Tapley, of Danvers, to the beach at Clifton where it was
rebuilt substantially as before. The new owners were Joseph
Bassett, shoe manufacturer and William Fabens, lawyer,
both residents of Marblehead. It was rented as a summer
resort, various attractions being maintained to draw the pub-
lic to the spot. During the season a steamer made regular
trips to and from Boston, landing passengers in boats, no
wharf having been built. The venture was not a financial
success and Jan. i, 1846, the building was totally destroyed
by fire under somewhat suspicious circumstances. A cut-
glass decanter, containing a little brandy, was the only thing
saved by the man in charge.

See Hurd’.s Hist, of Essex Co., p. Ixi; also, Essex Institute Hist.
Colls. Vol. 19, p. 226, and Topsfield Hist. Colls. Vol. IV, p. 148.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Mrs. Caroline E. Carswell, High St. This one
story house was built by Daniel Willey, carpenter, in 1845,
for his own occupancy.

Albert W. Pace, High St. This one story house was
built for its present owner in 1885, by John H. Potter. In
the rear of this house is a willow tree, planted in 1836,
which marks the geographical centre of Essex County.

Stephen M. Pierce, High St. This two story house
was built for its present owner in 1898, by Charles A. Peter-
son of Hamilton. On a part of the same site formerly stood
a two story house which was taken down to make way for
the present house. It was built in 1785 for Elisha Perkins
and had remained in the Perkins name until very recently.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 81, line 19.

Forest W. Rust, High St. The one story house, of
late years known as the J. Arthur Towne house, which was
torn down in the fall of 1901, was originally a shoe shop
with an addition built on which was remodeled into a dwelling-
house, in 1855, by Matthew Moran who bought the farm, an
old dwelling-house, the shoe shop and a barn, of Eben W.
Towne, the same year. Moran occupied the old house while
the shoe shop was being remodeled and then pulled it down.
It had long been known as the Joshua Towne house. In it
had lived three Joshua Townes. Joshua, “the soldier;”
Joshua, “the tailor and Joshua, “the sailor.” Moran in-
tended to erect a new house, but not liking to live in the
country, after four or five years he left the town, returning
to the city of Salem. At the left-hand corner of the driveway
leading to this location, and very near the street, formerly
stood a dwelling-house with a brick basement. It was torn
down in 1854 and was then known as the Elbridge G. Towne
place. He manufactured shoes for several years in this
building, and lived in the Joshua Towne house, where he died
May 16, 1848. The house, or shoe factory, much resembled
the present Silas Deland house on Haverhill street. A short
distance to the north-east of this location and near the rail-
road track, may be seen the cellar of the old Henry Towne
house which was taken down by Eben W. Towne in 1873.
It was a one story house. The barn on this place was burned
down several years before the house was taken down.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 88, line 8.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

The Jacob A. Towne House, High St. This two
story house was built for Jacob A. Towne in 1857, by John
H. Potter, the old one story house which formerly stood
partly upon the same site and nearer the road, being taken
down the same year.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 66, line 15.

The Caroline H. Towne House, High St. This two
story house was built for Benjamin Towne in 1846, by
Daniel Willey.

Miss Mary E. Towne, High St. This two story house
was built in 1793 for Jacob Towne, jr. It was remodeled in
1859, for Jacob Waldo Towne, by Isaiah M. Small and in
1882 an addition was built for Dudley P. Towne.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 87, line 29.

George F. Averell, Hill St. This two story house
was built for Daniel Towne, jr., in 1846, by Isaiah M. Small.
The cider mill was built in 1866 for Daniel Towne. Near
the cider mill and on the easterly side, formerly stood a one
story building which, until 1803, was the Archelaus Towne
house and located off Boston street opposite the Rea-Peirce
estate. In 1803, it was purchased by the Emerson’s and re-
moved to this site and used as a dwelling-house. In it was
born Samuel Bickford, July 31, 1809. It was taken down in
1857 and upon the same spot the present apple house was
built, for its present owner, in 1891. On the westerly side
of the cider mill formerly stood the house of Stephen Towne
who was living here as early as 1704. April 3, 1782, the
house and barn were purchased by David Balch, jr., and were
probably taken down at once as they do not appear upon the
tax levy of the following year. This sixteen acre field was
owned by Thomas Emerson in 1798 and in 1828 was sold
by his heirs to Daniel Towne. In the broad field on
top of the hill and northerly from the present house, in
1894, Mr. Averell uncovered, in the centre of the field, large
stones placed in the form of a square as though used for a
foundation, and a short distance away on clearing out a
spring, now used to water cattle, he found that at some time
beyond recollection it had been stoned up, the wall having
been buried, in the process of time, some eighteen inches
below the surface.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Frank H. Towne, Hill St. This two story house was
built for Daniel Towne, sen., in 1815. An old two story
house that was built for Ephraim Towne about 1750, and
which was located in the field in front of the present house,
was taken down about the same time.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 87, line 9.

The Parson Capen House, Hewlett St. This two
story house was built for “Parson” Joseph Capen about
1684-8. It was long in the possession of the Emerson fam-
ily. It has an overhanging second story and is a very
interesting type of the 17th century dwelling.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VI, p. 49; Vol. VII, p. 70, line 15; Vol. VII, p.

131-

The Samuel Howlett Cellar, off Hewlett St. About
an eighth of a mile from the Capen house, at the foot of the
hill and in the pasture on the right, may be seen the cellar
and well of the Samuel Howlett house. He came from Ips-
wich in 1668, on invitation from the town “to set up his
trade of smithing”. The town granted him four acres of
land and here he built his house which was gone before 1800.
His blacksmith’s shop was beside the same road and near
the bars leading into the last pasture on the left, before the
“dry bridge” is reached. Bits of charcoal have been dug up
on the spot within three years time.

The French-Andrews House, Howlett St. A one
story house built for John French stood upon this site about
1675. In 1718 it was sold to Joseph Andrews and some
time before 1798 it was raised to two stories and the easterly
end was added. In the spring of 1693, Howlett Street was
laid out as a town way which passed “betwene Corpll
French his house and barne.” The barn originally stood in
the orchard on the westerly side of the road.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VI, p. 47. Vol. VII, p. 57, line 22.

Edwin K. Foster, Ipswich St. This one story house
was built for Edward Morris in 1870, by John H. Potter. The
shop beside the wall, originally stood on Main street on the
present site of the hay scales, where it was used as a harness
shop, before 1840, by John Symonds Barr. John Parkinson
afterwards moved it to a location on what is now School ave.,
where he used it for a tailors’ shop.

THE BAKER-BATCHELDER HOUSE, IPSWICH ST.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Algernon S. Cram, off Ipswich St. Capt. Thomas Ba-
ker was living in this two story house in 1715, which is said
to have been built about 1710. He married Priscilla, daugh-
ter of Deputy-Governor Samuel Symonds, and died in this
house, March 2, 1717. It remained in the possession of the
Baker family until 1795, when it was sold to John Batchelder.
Thomas Baker, his son Thomas and grandson Thomas were
all captains of military companies.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 62, line 25.

Heirs of Amos S. Chapman, Ipswich St. This house,
originally but one story, was raised to two stories and remod-
eled somewhat in 1856-7, for A. S. Chapman, by Cyrus Pea-
body. The house was built in 1791 for Asa Porter.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 84, line 10.

Mrs. Abbie S. Pevear, Ipswich St. This one story
house was built for J. Waldo Towne in 1847, by Samuel
Clarke. A short distance in the rear of this house formerly
stood a two story house in which lived Francis Peabody who
came to Topsfield from Hampton, N. H., in 1657. His grist
mill, a few yards away, was built in 1665. The old house
was taken down in 1846.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 79, line 17.

Daniel A. Conant, Ipswich St. This two story house
was built by Capt. Thomas Peabody in 1815, for his own oc-
cupancy. In 1871 it was turned partly round and remod-
eled for David Smith, by Jacob Foster.

The Peabody Grist Mill, off Ipswich St. The first
grist mill at this location, and the first mill in town, was built
by Lieut. Francis Peabody in 1665. A saw mill was built
by him in 1672. In the summer of 1760, the original grist
mill was taken down and a new one was built on the same
spot, for Jacob Peabody, David Nelson being the builder.
Five years later the saw mill was also taken down and a new
one was built on the spot. In the fall of 1824, the second
gri mill was taken down and another erected on the site,
th'„ irame being raised on Sept. 25, 1824. The work was
done by Ezra Dodge and others, of Beverly. New mill stones,
five feet in diameter, were put in, they having been brought
from Lynn. In August, 1897, these stones were taken out,
and in December were shipped to Boston where they were
cut down and afterwards shipped to a firm in Birmingham,

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

England, to be used in a chocolate mill. In 1842, the old
saw mill was taken down and never rebuilt. In 1897, ^he
grist mill being greatly out of repair it was thoroughly re-
modeled, the work being done by Elbridge Perley of Box-
ford for Elmore Johnson who then owned the property.
The mills were owned by the Peabody family for 178 years.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. I, p. 39; Vol. VII, p. 79, line 26.

John H. Towne, Ipswich St. The older part of this two
story house was built for Daniel Boardman a few years before
his death, which occurred in 1708. Six generations by the
name of Boardman lived in this house between the years of
1697 i^35- One half of the house was sold to Benja-

min Boardman Towne, a descendant, Feb. 28, 1835,
other half was sold to him Nov. i, 1843. In 1845, old
chimney, 12 by 14 feet in size, was taken down, a new one
built and the main part of the old house remodeled. In
1849 the old ell was taken down and timbers were found
marked ••1697,” probably indicating the year that the house
was built. The same year a two story ell was built by Dan-
iel Willey for the owner, B. B. Towne. The carriage house
was built in 1886, by John H. Potter. In the west chamber
of the main part of the house, a public school was kept for
several years in the latter part of the i8th century. This es-
tate belonged to William Paine, merchant of Ipswich, when
Topsfield was set off as a village in 1639. He sold to Dan-
iel Clarke, who sold to William Bartholomew of Ipswich, who
in turn sold, in 1653, to William Evans, who came from
Gloucester, Mass. He sold to Daniel Boardman, in 1665.
The house which was standing at that time, was located on
the westerly side of the turnpike and about four hundred
feet north from the Elmore Johnson house.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 65, line i. (On line ii, it should read —
134 a.)

Estate of Maria Jane Hobbs, Ipswich St. This one
story house was built for Mrs. Maria J. Hobbs in 1899, by
John H. Potter. It was the last house that he built.

Albert H. Davison, Ipswich St. This one story house
was built for James Manning in 1886, by Albert H. Towne
of Boxford. On the site of the present house formerly
stood a two story house which was destroyed by a fire that
began about one o’clock, on the morning of Jan. ii, 1877.

THE BOARDMAN-TOWNE HOUSE, IPSWICH STREET.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

It was built for Joseph Boardman, about 1696, he having
received the land from his father Daniel Boardman whose
farm of 300 acres at that date extended from Peabody’s mill
to the old Ipswich road leading from North street to “the
city.”

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 86, line 21.

North School-House, Ipswich St. The first school-
house in this neighborhood was built in 1794 at an expense
of ;^40. It was located on what is now Ipswich street near
the corner of Perkins street and in the field now owned by
W. Donaldson. In 1846 it was sold to William Peabody for
$33.62 and removed to what is now the W. Donaldson place,
where it was used for many years as a shoe shop and is now a
barn. Jacob Kimball, the celebrated teacher and composer
• of vocal music, taught a singing-school in this school-house
in the winter of 1804-5. Humphrey Kneeland also taught
several singing-schools in this building, as did Samuel S.
McKenzie who made his beginning as a singing-master in
this school-house Jan. 18, 1839. He taught singing-schools
here, during the winters of 1840, 1842, 1843 and 1844, — in
all, 107 evenings. In 1846, a school-house was built, by
Constantine McKenzie, on a new location near the junction
of Ipswich and East streets. The land and building were
sold to Miss Mary T. Robinson, in 1899.

Charles J. Averill, Ipswich St. This two story house
was built for David Hobbs in 1782, by David Towne. The
house was remodeled somewhat in 1900, for its present owner.
This place was conveyed by the administrator of the estate of
David Hobbs to Cyrus Averill, March 30, 1831, since which
time it has remained in the Averill family.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 56, line i.

Mrs. Addie J. Perkins, Ipswich St. The eastern end
of this two story house was built by Nathaniel Hood, for his
own occupancy, in 1746-7 (Hist. Colls. Vol. Ill, p. 166).
A large addition, probably the western end of the house, was
built for Abraham Hobbs, sen., in 1768, and in 1776, another
addition was made. The one story building near this house
was built about 1800, by Benjamin Hobbs for his son Dan-
iel, and was originally used for a store. At one time a man
named Newman kept a store here, and afterwards, a man

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

named Butler. After a number of years it was used for a
shop, and in i860 it was fitted up for a dwelling-house and
has been occupied as such ever since. In the field behind
this house is a heap of stones near a solitary birch tree
that marks the site of the Ensigne Thomas Howlett house
which was built about 1650 and which disappeared over one
hundred years ago. (See Hist. Colls. Vol. II, p. 54).

See Hist. Colls. Vol. Ill, p. 170; Vol. VII, p. 75, line 27.
The Donaldson-Hobbs Grist Mill, Ipswich St. . This
grist mill was built about 1738-9, for Thomas Howlett, and
probably little change has been made in the building since
it was erected, save the addition on the western end. In 1 780,
after the Hobbs house was burned, two rooms were fitted up
in this mill for the occupancy of the family until the new
house was built. About forty years ago a turbine water-
wheel replaced the old-time wooden wheel. A saw mill was
built about three years after the grist mill was built, and was
located at the westerly end of the grist mill. The last saw
mill was burned about 1815.

For extended account of this mill see Hist. Colls. Vol. Ill, p. 165;
Vol. VII, p. 75, line 35.

Estate of David Clarke, Ipswich St. Near the site
of the present house, stood, a hundred years ago, a house
which was then known as a very old house and may have
been built in the 17th century. Nearby was a tan house
and yard. The house was taken down about 1809, when a
new one story house, with a long slanting roof in the rear,
was built for Israel Clarke. This in turn was taken down in
1871 when the present house was built for David Clarke by
John H. Potter.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. II, pp. 69-70; Vol. VII, p. 65, line 29.

Nathaniel Foss, Ipswich St. This small two story
house was originally a grocery store located on Town Hill,
Ipswich, beyond what is now the Agawam House. It was
occupied by Albert P. Hill. In 1853 it was removed to its
present location for Aaron Hubbard, who had just pur-
chased the land. The ell, added at that time, was originally
a shoe shop on Amos Gould’s farm, which is now the Rice
estate at Willowdale. The old barn was a peat house
brought from the “West Meadows.” It fell in pieces and was
replaced about 1895, ^7 the present barn which formerly

THE HOBBS-AVERILL HOUSE, IPSWICH STREET.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

was a part of J. Arthur Lamson’s old barn. In 1889 the
house was raised to two stories by Daniel W. Hubbard. In
1880 his brother Elnathan Hubbard dug the cellar in the
westerly end of the lot. It was partly stoned when he
decided, not to build and the cellar was abandoned.

The Agricultural Farm, Main St. Dr. Richard Dex-
ter, who came from Malden, married, in 1741, Mehitable,
sister of Gen. Israel Putnam, and probably about that time
had built the house which is now standing. The outside
entrance to the cellar is through an arch beneath the great
chimney. It is said that Madam Dexter, who was a fine
equestrienne, while the house was in process of construction,
rode her horse into the second story by way of an inclined
platform that was used in carrying the building supplies. It
is also said that a detachment of troops returning from
I Arnold’s expedition against Quebec, camped under the

; large pine tree in front of the house. This farm was origi-

* nally owned by Isaac Esty whose wife was hung as a witch

j in 1692. In 1 809 the property again came into the possession

I of the Esty family, being owned by Enos Esty. It then

I passed to Dr. John Treadwell who bequeathed the property

j in 1857 to the Essex Agricultural Society to be used as an

: experimental farm. The large barn was built by the Society

in 1859. J. H. Potter was the carpenter.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VI, p. 53; Vol. VII, p. 68, line 23.

Site of William Towne House, Main St. The site
of the house in which lived William Towne, whose daugh-
ters, Rebecca Nurse and Mary Esty, were hung as witches,
is in the field now owned by William P. Walsh, bounded by
Main and Salem streets, some fifty feet from Main street
and near the lone apple tree below the barn now owned by
Andrew L. Peirce. Jan. 7, 1652, William Paine, the Ipswich
merchant and one of the large land owners in Topsfield, sold
this property to William Towne and probably the house was
built soon after. In this house lived Michael Dugoy with
his wife Elizabeth, and five children, PTench Neutrals brought
from Acadia. They arrived in town Oct. 21, 1756 and lived
in this house for nearly four years. It was then owned by
David Balch. The house has been gone for over one hun-
dred years.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

William G. Lake, Main St. This one story house, now
occupied by Albert Lefavour, was originally a grocery store,
built and occupied by Robert C. Hackett in 1834. It was
remodeled into a dwelling house and an ell added in 1837,
for William G. Lake, sen.

Mrs. Charles J. P. Floyd, Main St. This one story
house was originally a shoe shop, built for Joel Lake, in 1836,
which stood nearly opposite the “Joel Lake house,” now
owned by Mrs. Henry Phillips. It was sold to Miles Sweeney
about 1853, who had it removed to its present location and
remodeled into a dwelling-house. March 21, 1857 it was
purchased by Charles J. P. Floyd who had the house re-
modeled and an addition built in 1870. The shop between
this house and the Poole house was built by Miles Sweeney
in 1857. It was used as a dwelling-house until 1872 and
afterwards as a shoe shop by Henry W. Phillips and later by
Frederick Stiles.

Mrs. Dora Poole, Main St. This one story house was
built for Miles Sweeney in 1851, by Samuel Clarke.

Mrs. Eliza Peirce, Main St. This two story house
was built by Robert C. Hackett in 1835, for his own occu-
pancy. Between this house and the William G. Lake
house, formerly stood the Joseph Towne shoe shop which
was built for Joseph Towne, sen., in 1856. In 1873 it was
sold to Benjamin Lane, agent for John Bailey, and removed
to its present location adjoining the Post office building
by Jacob Foster.

Benjamin Poole, Main St. This two story house was
built for William G. Lake in 1834. He was married here in
November, as soon as the house was completed. The front
of the house was originally used for a shoe shop.

Benjamin Poole & Mrs. Henry Phillips, Main St.
The middle part of this two story house of many angles, is
said to be over 150 years old. Joel Lake built the easterly
end in 1836-7 and he also made a considerable addition on
the end toward the street, between 1857 and i860. From
this house, John Phillips, who was killed on River Hill, Sept.
24, 1840, by being thrown from a horse, was buried with
military honors by the “Topsfield Warren Blues.”

Dudley Bradstreet, Main St. This two story house

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

was built for its present owner in 1902, by Henry H. Roberts.
The location has been long known as the “tomb field”, from
the tomb that crowned the rising ground and which was
built in 1832 and demolished in 1902 when the present
house was erected upon its location. The bodies, ten in
number, were removed during the winter 1901-2. In the
corner of this lot nearest the Phillips house, formerly stood
the house and barn where Martha, widow of John Cree,
lived until her death, June ii, 1815, aged 94 years, 10 mos.
and 14 days. The house was taxed for the last time in
May, 1818. In a nine acre field on the rising ground in the
rear and near what is now River street, stood, until 1800, a
small house in which lived her son Joseph Cree. Dudley
Bradstreet for many years past has been a prominent citizen
in town affairs.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 66, line 33 and line 27.

The one story house on the right, nearer the street, and
now occupied by John H. Bradstreet, was originally the south-
ern end of a store-house erected on this spot for Ariel H.
Gould, at that time owner of the adjoining estate. It was
remodeled into a dwelling-house for Eugene H. Hussey in
1883, by Albert A. Batchelder.

Benjamin P. Edwards, Main St. This two story house
was built for Thomas Averill in 1832 and remained in the
possession of the family until Sept. i8, 1896, when it was
sold to its present owner and somewhat remodeled. The
small building that formerly stood beside the driveway and
near the road was used as a shoe shop for a long time, and
in after years was used as a paint shop by Sidney W. Averill,
and was removed in 1896, by Mr. Edwards.

Calvin W. Fuller, Main St. This two story house
was built for Benjamin C. Orne in 1836-7 by Charles C.
Brackett. It was owned and occupied for many years by
Ariel H. Gould, butcher. He died here Feb. 22, 1879, aged
60 years, 1 1 mos. and 4 days. A sheep barn in the rear was
destroyed by fire on the night of Oct. 21, 1885.

Charles V. Jackman, Main St. This is the old Robin-
son-Balch estate. The old two story house, which was built
about 1 73 1-2, was transformed into the barn now standing
on the property in 1892. The one story house was former-

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

ly located at “Sweeneyville”, and next to the house now
owned by Mrs. Dora Poole (Main Street). It was originally
a shop that belonged to Israel Rea and stood on the Dr.
Treadwell farm (Agricultural Farm). In 1857-8 it was
sold to Abram Balch who had it move^ to his land at
“Sweeneyville”, and remodeled into a dwelling-house. In
1891, Frank A. Pemberton of Peabody, who then owned
this property, had the building removed to its present loca-
tion and again remodeled. The two story house was built
in 1892 for Frank A. Pemberton and formerly stood near
the barn where it was used for a tool house and shop. In
1900, its present owner had it moved to its present location
where he remodeled it into a dwelling-house. Fifty years
ago a small shop stood near the road and beside the fence
adjoining the lot now owned by Mrs. Caroline Pray. Here
Moses Richardson, a negro tinker, kept shop, and later,
Samuel S. McKenzie opened a shop where he did watch
and clock repairing and kept a small stock of jewelry.
The shop was afterwards removed and used for a hen house.
Seventy-five years ago, a tan yard was located just across
the street at this point.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 60, line 31.

Mrs. Caroline Pray, Main St. Part of the frame of
this two story house is very old and before 1800 it was
probably located on the Porter-Cleaveland place, now the
Church Home.

An addition was made some years ago by Israel Gallup.
In 1890, another story was added by Capt. Ruel B. Pray.
In a small one story shop that formerly stood near the road
and beside the fence adjoining the Balch-Jackman lot, Israel
Gallup and Samuel Todd made fishermen’s boots. The
shop is now the ell of the present house.

W. Webster Gallup, Main St. This two story house
was built for William P. Gallup in 1835, t>y Charles C.
Brackett. A part of the shop in the rear of the house for-
merly stood on High Street and nearly opposite the entrance
to the school grounds. It was then owned and occupied by
David Lake, jr., a shoe manufacturer, in 1834. The shop was
afterward moved to present site when it was raised and an
addition built on for William P. Gallup.

i'r

RESIDENCE OF EDWIN S. CLIFFORD, MAIN STREET.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Mrs. Ephraim P. Peabody, Main St. This two story house
was built for Dr. Nehemiah Cleaveland, in 1835-6, by Charles
C. Brackett, and was first occupied by Rev. James F. McEwen,
who was pastor of the Congregational church, 1830-1840.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. I, p. 9.

The Odd Fellows Building, Main St. This two story
building was built for Mrs. Mary Taylor daughter of Dr.
Nehemiah Cleaveland and widow of Rev. Oliver A. Taylor,
author and minister at Manchester, Mass., by Daniel Willey
and Isaiah M. Small, in 1855. In 1872 the house became
the property of Joseph E. Stanwood who presented it to
Fountain Lodge No. 170, I. O. O. ¥. in 1886, and shortly
after it was extensively remodeled by John H. Potter. The
Lodge room was first occupied Feb. 10, 1887. Fountain
Lodge was organized Dec. 31, 1874, in the small hall on the
second floor of the building on Central street, now occupied
by J. J. Hardy, harness maker. Nov. ii, 1875, the organi-
zation removed to the new hall in Bailey’s Block, now occupied
by Topsfield Lodge, A. O. U. W. and Topsfield Grange, P. of H.
The Lodge occupied that hall until its removal to this building.

George Francis Dow, Main St. This two story house was
built for its present owner in 1893 Mess. Foster & Duncan
of Danvers. Gov. Crane, Lieut Gov. Bates, Senator Lodge,
Cong. Moody, and other distinguished men, were entertained
in this house Aug. 16, 1900, on the occasion of the celebration
of the 250th anniversary of the incorporation of the town.

The Stanwood Church Home, Main St. This is the
Robinson-Porter-Cleaveland estate. The old house was re-
modeled and greatly enlarged by Dr. Nehemiah Cleaveland,
who acquired the property about 1795. His son Nehemiah
states in the Bi-centennial Address (p. xxiv.) that the southern
portion of the house was one of the oldest erections in the
town. In 1873, Joseph E. Stanwood moved one half of the
house to the corner of Central and Summer sts., where it is
now owned by I. M. Woodbury, and demolished the remain-
ing portion and erected on the same spot the present two
story dwelling-house which, in 1888, he gave to the Church
Home for Orphan and Destitute Children, of South Boston.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 66, line 4.

Edwin S. Clifford, Main St. This two story house
was built for Samuel Clifford in 1844 by Nathan Brown.
He bought the land of William Munday.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

The Frederick P. Merriam House, Main St., was
built for him in 1859, by Jacob T. Strangman.

The Rea-Foster House, Main St. This two story
house was built by Jacob Foster, in 1855, for his own occu-
pancy. Prof. J. Warren Healey, principal of the Topsfield
Academy, lived here in 1856, and Prof. O. D. Allis, another
principal, lived here in 1857-8.

Miss Mehitable Todd, Main St. This one story house
was originally the wash-house at the Turnpike Hotel. In
1842, it was bought by Dea. Samuel C. Todd and removed
to its present location, being remodeled and enlarged.

Dr. Thomas L. Jenkins, Main St. This two story
house was built for Nehemiah Balch and Samuel C.JPodd,
by Charles C. Brackett, in 1838 and was first used as a boot
shop. In 1840 it was remodeled into a dwelling-house, and
occupied for many years by Nehemiah Balch, who died here
Jan. 2, 1884.

William H. Herrick, Main St. This two story house
was built for Charles Herrick in 1855, by Daniel Willey and
I. M. Small.

The Barnard-Littlefield House, Main St. This two
story house was originally a public hall standing on the
southern side of the Munday Tavern, now the property of
O. E. Lake. It was removed to its present location and re-
modeled in 1858-9. A house was built on this lot between
1714 and 1718, by Thomas Goodale, It had disappeared,
or been removed, before 1761.

George P. Dow, Main St. This two story house is the
old Baker-Hood-Gould estate. A portion of the ell is very
old. A two story house was standing here in 1798. See
Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 60, line 15. Leach’s Market on
Central Street, previous to 1893 stood between this house
and the Dr. Allen lot, and was used as a carriage house and
shop. It was remodeled for W. Porter Gould in Dec., 1886,
and occupied by him as a market. The property passed
out of his hands and in 1893 the building was sold to
Charles H. Leach.

Dr. Justin Allen, Main St This two story house was
built for Elisha A. Hood in 1854-5, by Daniel Willey and
Isaiah M. Small.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Otto E. Lake, Main St. This two story building, now
used as a store and dwelling-house by its present owner, was
built by Thomas Meady in 1809 and by him was used as a
store and tavern. Meady removed to Philadelphia in 1817.

Col. Ephraim Wildes owned this place for several years and
kept a hotel here. He sold to Capt. William Munday,
butcher, Apr. 8, 1825. He kept a tavern here for many years,
and was followed by his son, his grandson, and by Dalmer
J. Carlton. In later years it was known as the “Topsfield
House”. The original swinging sign nowhangs at “Fern-
croft”, in Middleton. The present owner has remodeled the
building somewhat, the last time in 1900. On the rear of
this lot stands the old B. & M. Railroad station, now re-
modeled into a dwelling-house. The small octagonal build-
ing used as a barber’s shop formerly stood on the small
park adjoining the John Bailey house, where it was occupied
as a barber’s shop by O. E. Lake. It was removed to the
lower part of the Centre School grounds near the brook and
occupied by Mr. Lake for several years. In 1901 it was
moved to its present location. The small building adjoining,
and now occupied by Benj. C. Dodge as a clothing store,
was originally the chaise-house in the rear of the Munday
house.

Benjamin Lane, Main St. This two story house was^, . ,

built in 1836 for William E. Kimball, by Charles C. Brack- ^

ett, and remained in the Kimball family until recently. ^

The Kimball Grocery Store, Main St. On this spot, ^ -

in 1834, stood William E. Kimball’s blacksmith shop, which
afterwards was removed and became John H. Potter’s car-
penter-shop. - In 1836-7. the part of the store lately occu-
pied by Mrs. Mary S. Kimball was built. The front of the
grocery store lately occupied by Paul R. Kimball, was
originally a covered shed to shelter teams. This store was
occupied by W. E. Kimball, and Andrew Gould, then by
W. E. Kimball, his son William B. Kimball, and latterly by
his sons Wm. B., Fred S., and Paul R. Kimball.

Charles H. Leach, Main St. This one story house
was built for Thomas K. Leach in 1838-9, by Jacob Dodge
of Wenham. The carriage-house in the rear of the flower
garden was formerly occupied by Silas Cochrane, harness

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

maker. The Leach & Wilson wheelwright shop when
moved, about 1840, from its original location near the rail-
road crossing, was first placed between this carriage-house
and Main street.

Mrs. Mary L. Nichols, Main St. This one story house
was built by Charles C. Brackett in 1839, for his own occu-
pancy. He sold to Andrew Gould, Dec. 20, 1847.

William Pitman Gould and Mary E. Gould House,
Main St. This two story house was built for Samuel Gould
in 1819. The ell was added in 1840, by the same owner.
For several years the northern front of the house was used
as a store.

“Bailey’s Market,” Main Street. This one story build-
ing, previous to 1855, stood near the site of the present Julia
A. Cummings house. Main St., which was built by Samuel
Clarke. He bought land of Humphrey Balch and moved
the shop directly across the street, and then erected his new
house partly upon the former site of the shop, which re-
mained upon its new location until it was sold to John Bailey
who had it moved to its present location during the winter
of 1 880-1.

The Benjamin Lane Shoe Shop, Main St. This two
story shoe shop with two stores in the first story, was orig-
inally the Joseph Towne shop and stood between the houses
on Main street now owned by Mrs. Eliza Peirce and William
G. Lake. It was built in 1856 and sold, in 1873, to Ben-
jamin Lane, acting for John Bailey, who had it removed to
its present location. The lower floor was first used for a
restaurant and then by Charles S. Wiggin, who opened the
first drug store in Topsfield. It has since been occupied by
A. B. Richardson, tinsmith and plumber, by William Perkins,
shoe dealer and job printer, and others.

Post Office, Main St. This two story building used
for post office, drug store, billiard hall and tenement, was
built for John Bailey in 1877, by Albert Chesley, and was
first occupied by Benjamin P. Edwards, druggist, who came
from Salem. The hall on the second floor, until recently
known as “Wesley Hall”, has been used for religous services
and singing schools. M. V. B. Perley kept a private
school here in 1882-3.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

William H. Herrick Shoe Shops, Main St. In 1837,
Charles Herrick had a small shoe shop built upon the spot
where the large shop now stands. In 1850 it was moved to
one side to make room for the new building and the follow-
ing year it was moved away to be remodeled into the Henry
W. Lake house on High Street. The present three story
shop was built for Mr. Herrick in 1850, by Jacob Foster.
A cannon salute was fired from the foundation when the
town celebrated its Bi-Centennial, Aug. 29, 1850. The
small shoe shop was built for Charles Herrick in 1871, by
John H. Potter.

Estate of John Bailey, Main St. The two story
tenement house next the post office building was built for
Samuel Gould in 1831. In the rear are two one story
I houses. They were both built by Albert Chesley for John
Bailey, one in 1876 and the other in 1877. The two story
residence of the late John Bailey was built for Dr. Joseph E.
Batchelder in 1843, by Charles C. Brackett. It was after-
wards owned by Dea. John Wright, who died here July 29,
1861. The property was sold to John Bailey, May 2, 1865
and he made several additions in 1866, the carpenter work
being done by Jacob Foster. The southerly half of Bailey’s
Block, the first floor of which is occupied by Charles I.
Trowbridge, grocer, was built for Dea. John Wright in 1839
and used as a shoe-shop. The northerly portion of the
block was built for John Bailey in 1875.

In 1868, Mr. Bailey bought from the town the school
house which stood on the Common near where the Town
Hall was afterwards built. He had it removed to the
rear of the Block and raised a story, and then occupied it as
a stitch room. The three story shop in the rear was built
in 1871. Joseph B. Poor carried on a grocery and dry
goods business in the two stores on the first floor of Bailey’s
Block for a number of years, or until 1886, when he occu-
pied the old Benjamin P. Adams store across the street.
The hall on the second floor was completed and occupied
by Fountain Lodge of Odd Fellows, Nov. ii, 1875. Tops-
field Lodge No. 65, A. O. U. W., which was instituted Aug. 1 7,
1886, leased this hall after the Odd Fellows vacated it and
has occupied it ever since, of late years conjointly with

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Topsfield Grange, P. of H. No. 184. Where the driveway
to the barn now is, formerly stood the old Clark tavern,
afterwards owned by Rev. Daniel Breck, pastor of the Con-
gregational Church, 1779-1788, and from 1821 to 1836,
owned and occupied by John Rea 3d, who opened a tavern.
The house and outbuildings were destroyed by an incendiary
fire on the night of Oct. 16, 1836.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. I, pp. 7, 30; Vol. VII, p. 76, line 24, and p. 136.

Henry H. Roberts, Main St. This two story house
was built for Benjamin Kimball in 1836, by Capt. Israel D.
Elliott. A large addition was also built for him in 1876, by
George A. Towne. In 1882-3, John H. Towne, at that time
the owner, remodeled considerably, the carpenter work be-
ing done by John H. Potter. Mrs. Deborah Kimball, daugh-
ter of William and Phebe (Dwinell) Estey, celebrated her
one hundredth birthday in this house on October 2nd, 1879,
over one hundred persons being present during the day.
“The Deborah Kimball Fund” had its origin on this occa-
sion. She died here December 10, 1879, aged 100 yrs. 2 mos.
8 days.

The building in the rear of the house originally stood for
several years on the Endicott Porter place in Putnamville.
It was removed to this site shortly after the house was built
and was used for many years by Mr. Kimball as a shoe and
stitch shop. In the second story of this building, Alphonso
T. Merrill established his printing business in September,
1888, and remained there five years, removing to the third
floor of the large Herrick shoe shop.

Edward O.' Gould, Main St. This two story house,
until recently known as the “Parkinson house,” was built for
Frederick Perley, trader, in 1834. Prof. Alfred W. Pike, the
principal of the Topsfield Academy 1834-5, was its first
occupant, living here in November, 1834. John Parkinson,
an Englishman and a tailor by trade, came to Topsfield in
1844 and for many years occupied this house as a boarding
house. His tailor’s shop was in the northern end of the
building. See also, William A. Long, Main street.

Joseph B. Poor, Main St. This two story dwelling-
house and grocery store was built for Nathaniel Perley in
1830. He and his brother Frederick kept a general store

THE TOWNE-ROBERTS HOUSE, MAIN ST.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

and were followed by Benjamin P. Adams, who was also
postmaster for many years. Its present owner has made
alterations in 1888, 1895 and 1898. The grain house, near
the hay scales, was built for its present owner by John H.
Potter, the frame being raised May 8, 1886. On the lawn
and near the corner of Main Street and School avenue,
formerly stood (1861-1870) a one story building erected
for Jacob W. Reed and used as a store and dwelling.
Thomas W. Perley kept a variety store in this building for
several years. In 1870 it was moved down School avenue
and remodeled into the dwelling-house now owned by A. T.
Merrill.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VI, p. 93.

The Robert Lake House, Main St. This two story
house was built for Samuel Adams in 1856, by Jacob Foster.
The small store now occupied by Alphonso T. Merrill,
printer, was originally one half of a stable which was re-
modeled and an addition built on for Robert Lake in 1876,
by Albert Chesley.

The Hiram Wells House, Main St. This small one
story house was built for Joseph Lovett in 1845, by Charles
C. Brackett.

Melvin W. Gould, Main St. This one story house
was built for Jacob Foster in 1846, by Charles C. Brackett.
The ell was built for its present owner in 1887. Jacob
Foster, who built man\^ houses in town, learned his trade
with Mr. Brackett, in 1848-9.

William A. Long, Main St. This two story house was
built for Henry Long in 1851, by Jacob Foster. The Ira P.
Long blacksmith shop was originally the Kimball-Wildes
blacksmith shop and was located across the road from the
Kimball-Wildes house now owned by Arthur U. Hutchings.
Where the dwelling house now stands, before 1850, was lo-
cated Benjamin Herrick’s wheelwright shop which was re-
moved and is now a part of the Dora L. Osgood house on
Central street. Near the site of the hay scales, before 1840,
stood a small building in which John Symonds Barr, harness
maker, did business. He afterwards removed to Danvers.
The building was sold to John Parkinson, who had it re-
moved to what is now School avenue, where he used it for

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

a tailor’s shop. It is now owned by E. K. Foster and stands
near his Ipswich street house.

Arthur U. Hutchings, Main St. This two story house
was probably built for Jacob Kimball in 1756. He was a
blacksmith. Moses Wildes jr. who followed the same trade,
bought one half of the house and lot in 1808 and five years
later purchased the other half. The property remained in
the Wildes name until the death of Moses Wildes in 1889.
In this house was born, in 1761, Jacob Kimball, who gradu-
ated at Harvard College in 1788, practiced law at Amherst,
N. H., and was noted as a composer of vocal music. He was
the author of “Rural Harmony,” 1793, and “Essex Har-
mony,” 1800. See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 135 ; p. 77, line
3. Directly across the street formerly stood the Moses
Wildes blacksmith shop, which was sold to Henry Long and
removed, and is now the Ira P. Long shop. After its re-
moval, a one story building was built upon the same site,
and used for a shop and carriage-house. In 1892, this
building was removed to its present location, opposite the
hay scales, and remodeled into a two story dwelling-house
by Albert H. Towne of Boxford. The brook which flowed
along here was confined in a pipe and the entire lot filled in
and graded to its present level.

The Town Hall, facing the Common, was erected in
1873, at a cost of about $13,000.00, John H. Potter was the
builder. At the right of the Congregational Church and
near the present highway, was built in 1795, at a cost of .^30,
and also $65.67, the first school house erected in the centre
of the town. In it Jacob Kimball and William R. Hubbard
conducted many old-time singing-schools. The building was
sold to William G. Lake in 1845, $42.75« forms

the upper part of the Deland house at Hood’s Pond. A
second school house was built in 1844, by Constantine Mc-
Kenzie, where the Town Hall now stands. In 1868 it was
sold to John Bailey and now forms the second story of the
two story addition in the rear of Bailey’s Block.

The Congregational Church. On this location a
meeting-house was erected in 1703, a small hill having been
leveled for the purpose. In 1759-1760 a second meeting-
house was built upon the same site, which was removed in

TANNERY, BOSTON ST., SALEM,
rmerly the Topsfield Meeting-House, built in 1759-1760

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

1842, when the present edifice was built, and taken to Salem
and rebuilt on Boston street, where it is still in use as a
tannery. The present edifice was dedicated on Wednesday,
Feb. 22, 1843. The bell that hangs in the steeple is inscribed
“REVERE & COMPANY, BOSTON, 1817.”

See Hist. Colls, Vol. VII, p. 90.

The Congregational Parsonage. This two story house
facing the Common, was built for Joseph Emerson in 1814.
The barn was built the same year. It afterwards came into
the possession of his daughter, Harriet Jane Emerson, who
married Charles H. Holmes, son of John Holmes, the first
U. S. Senator from Maine. Mr. Holmes was a lawyer and
the tallest man in Essex County, being 6 feet 8 inches in height.
Mrs. Holmes embraced the Roman Catholic religion and set
up an oratory in one of the rooms in this house. June i, 1886
the property was sold to the Congregational parish. See
Hist. Colls. Vol. II, p. 93 ; Vol. VI, p. 85. A short distance
north from this house and near the lone elm tree, formerly
stood a small two story house, for many years in the posses-
sion of the Averill family. It was probably built about 1738
and taken down about 1812.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 132; Vol. VII, p. 70, line 6.

The Methodist Church, was built by Jacob Foster and
John H. Potter, in 1853-4. In 1888, the steeple was short-
ened and extensive repairs were made. The bell has the
following inscription — “CAST BY Henry N. Hooper &
Company, Boston, 1853,-1015-26.” The first floor of the
church is known as “Union Hall.” Town meetings and
many public gatherings met here before the Town Hall was
built in 1873. It is still used for public purposes.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. Ill, p. 26; Vol. VI, p. 17.

Augustus W. Smith, Main St. This two story house,
now used as a hotel, was built for Stillman Stone in 1832.
The roof of the house was destroyed by fire March 23, 1895,
and was soon after repaired. The ell was raised to two
stories in 1897. 1827-8, Mr. Stone built a small carpen-

ter shop beyond where the stable now stands, which, in 1834
-5, became the property of Richard Philips jr. He removed
it about 1841 and remodeled it into the house which is now
owned by John B. Lake, where it was first occupied by Rich-
ard Phillips sen. In 1838, the Congregational parish leased

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

to Richard Phillips jr, for 999 years, a small strip of land at
the corner of Main street and bordering on Washington
street. On the evening of March 17, 1884, while the prop-
erty was owned by John G. Ryder and by him occupied as a
hotel, a fire destroyed the barn, a two story shop, and a two
story dwelling-house that stood nearly opposite the present
Balch-Jordan house. The shop, the first story of which was
constructed of stone that came from Crooked Pond in Box-
ford, was built for Richard Phillips in 1837. The upper
floor was used by him as a shoe shop, and in the lower floor
William Briggs Reed kept a grocery store as early as 1838.
In after years this store was occupied by Miss Caroline
Pingree (now Mrs. B. J. Balch) and Miss Harriett M. Kim-
ball as a milliner’s shop. The house was built for Richard
Phillips jr. in 1847. Charles French lived here in 1850-1.

At the time it was burned it had long been known as the
“Shepard House.”

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VI, p. 91.

C. Fred Jordan, Main St. In 1733, Rev. John Emerson
bought this site of the Topsfield commoners for ;^I4 and
probably soon after built a house upon it. The present
three story house, the end towards the street being of brick,
was built for Billy Emerson in 1808. It is said that the
parson’s study was retained in building the new house and is
yet a part of the easterly end of the house.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VI, p. 95; Vol. VII, p. 70, line i.

Mrs. Emma Todd, Main St. This two story house was
built for Amos Perkins in i860, by John H. Potter.

Albert A. Conant, off Main St. This two story house
was built for its present owner in 1898, by E. B. Peabody of
Danvers. A short distance in the rear of the stable may be
seen the cellar of the old parsonage which was built in 1663
and occupied by Rev. Thomas Gilbert, the first settled
minister in Topsfield; his successor. Rev. Jeremiah Hobart;
Goodman Lovewell, the school-master in 1694; and later by
various families dependent upon the town.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VI, p. Si.

John B. Lake, Main St. This one story house was orig-
inally a carpenter shop which stood not far from the present
entrance to the A. A. Conant property on Main street. It
was built by Stillman Stone in 1827-8, and became the

THE PEABODY-YOUNG HOUSE, NORTH STREET.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

property of Richard Phillips jr. in 1835, He had it removed
to its present location about 1841 and remodeled into a dwell-
ing-house for his father. Joseph W. Batchelder, a prominent
man in town affairs for many years, died here May 19, 1887,
aged 87 yrs. 2 mos. i day.

About fifty feet northerly from this house, stood, from
1840 to 1855, the Methodist Meeting House, which was
moved here in January, 1840, from its first location on the
Boston and Newbur}/port Turnpike, near Springville.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. Ill, pp. 24-36.

Henry M. Andrews, Main St. This one story'house
was probably moved from across the street to its present
location, by Thomas Emerson. The house was built before
1784. In 1850, the property was conveyed to Elisha P.
Andrews, who had it remodeled and an addition built in the
rear, in 1867. In the field beside the house and adjoining the
G. B. Balch property, formerly stood a blacksmith shop
which was occupied for several years by William M.
Andrews.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 70, line 26.

Gilbert B. Balch, Main St. This two story house was
built for Benjamin Jacobs in 1872, by John H. Potter, and
by him extensively remodeled in 1874. It was again re-
modeled in 1901, by its present owner, and in 1902 the sta-
ble was built by Henry H. Roberts. The old barn which
was moved to the rear at this time, formerly stood on Haver-
hill street near the Gallup house site, and was moved to this
spot and remodeled by Samuel Clarke, about 1857.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 89.

Henry B. Williams (of Lynn), Main St. This two
house was built for Jonas Merriam, in 1789. The two story
ell was built in 1877 and the stable was extensively remod-
eled about the same time, for Mrs. Adeline Merriam,
widow of Dr. Royal Augustus Merriam.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 78, line 29.

Thomas J. Kneeland, Main St. This two story house
was originally the Henry A. Merriam shoe shop and stood
opposite the Todd house, in the field next to the cemetery.
In 1841, it was removed to its present location and in i844it
was remodeled into a dwelling-house by Augustine S. Pea-
body. In 1890, its present owner made extensive alterations.
John H. Potter was the carpenter.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

The Cummings-Clarke House, Main St. This small,
one story house was built by Samuel Clarke in 1854-5, for
his own occupancy. His barn and carpenter shop stood
across the road. The shop was removed and is now Bailey’s
market, so called. The barn was moved to the rear of the
present G. B. Balch stable.

Mrs. Abram Welch, Main St. This one story house
was built for Abram Welch in 1872, by Jacob Foster. Welch
was killed, Aug. 22, 1899, by falling from a load of hay. In
the corner of this lot formerly stood A. Porter Kneeland’s
shoe shop, which was removed and is now on Grove street,
where it is owned by Calvin W. Fuller.

Philip Palmer, Main St. This one story house was built
by Daniel Hood, housewright, in 1778-9. In 1806 it became
the property of Aaron Conant and until recently has been
known as the Conant house. Near this site William Perkins,
son of Rev. William Perkins, had his house as early as 1675.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 80, line 27; Vol. VII, p. 129.

Michael Collins, Maple St. This one story house
was originally the “officers’ quarters,” built on the camp
ground at Wenham in 1862, and used during the Civil War.
The building was purchased by John Leary in 1866 and re-
moved to Topsfield the same year. A small addition was
built and the whole fitted up for a dwelling-house. The barn
and shed were built from parts of the soldiers’ barracks pur-
chased at the same time.

Col. John Wildes Cellar, Meeting-house Lane. On
this site was a two story house which was taken down in
1863-4 by William Waitt. Aaron Andrews was the last oc-
cupant. Sylvanus Wildes, who occupied this house at the
beginning of the last century, graduated at Harvard College
in 1777, and was a lawyer and prominent man in his day.

See Cleaveland’s Address, 1850, p. 47; Hist. Colls, Vol. VII, p. 88,
line 32.

Benjamin Towne Cellar, off Middleton Road. Between
Rowley Bridge street and the Middleton road and somewhat
nearer the latter, is the site of this house. The cellar may
yet be plainly seen. Benjamin Towne married Katharine
Towne, April i, 1713, and probably came here to live about
that time (Hist. Colls. Vol. II, p. 76). In 1796-7 the house
was moved and attached to the house now owned by Mrs.

THE SYMONDS HOUSE, NORTH STREET.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Mary S. Batchelder. Goodman John Kenney, who lived just
over the boundary line in what is now Middleton, but which
was then Topsfield, lost his house and goods by fire in the
summer of 1696 and the church contributed the sum of £2'.
16:0 to his assistance.

Ebenezer Brown Cellar, Middleton Road. In a pas-
ture now owned by William L. Batchelder, and near the Mid-
dleton road, on the east side, stood, in 1776, a two story house
which in 1798 was taxed to Ebenezer Brown of Danvers, and
which was occupied by Cornelius Cree at this date. This
house was never occupied by Mr. Brown but was rented to
different families until it was finally taken down, about 1825.

See Hist. Colls. V^ol. VII, p. 65, line 12.

Site of the “Liddy and Betty Towne House,” Mid-
dleton Road. The cellar over which the house formerly
stood may be seen on the western side of the road in Peter-
son’s pasture. The house was inherited by the sisters from
their father Joseph Towne, who was married about 1750.
The house may have been built at that time. The old house
was taken down by David Towne and a small building was
placed on the same site by him and made into a dwelling-
house for the use of the sisters in their declining years. Af-
ter their death it was removed to a site near Peterson’s cider
mill on Rowley Bridge street and, with the mill, was des-
troyed by fire Sept. 26, 1880.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. II, p. 76-7; Vol. VII, p. 57, line 5; Vol. VII, p.
87, line 4.

Job H. Frame, Mill St. This was the place where, in
early times, Zaccheus Gould and his son, Capt. John Gould,
lived. The old house, said to be the third upon the same spot,
was built in 1724, and destroyed by fire in 1878. It had then
been used as a barn for several years. The present house
was built in 1847-8 by Capt. Israel D. Elliott for his own oc-
cupancy. By the Colonial Records it appears that on the
31st of May, 1660, Zaccheus Gould had his fine for entertain-
ing Quakers, remitted on account of his loss by fire.

See Gould Genealogy, pp. 33-4; Hist. Colls Vol. VII, p. 72, line 16.

Job H. Frame, Mill St. The Gould-Annable site. A
two story house, which was standing on this site as early as
1 772, was destroyed by fire June 21,1 894. George A. Frame
was the last occupant.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 74, line i.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Albert F. Tilton, Mill St. The Gould-Perkins place.
There were formerly two houses on this estate. The site of
the old house, which has been gone many years, is just be-
yond the present Tilton house. Here lived Thomas Gould
(1666-1752) son of Capt. John Gould. The son Simon, suc-
ceeding him, had a new two story house built in 1788-9, about
the time of the marriage of his two sons, Simon, jr., and Eli-
jah. Simon, sen., and Simon, jr., occupied the old house,
while Elijah began housekeeping in the new house, now
owned by A. F. Tilton. In 1872, this house was thoroughly
remodeled by Proctor Perkins, the owner at that time.

Isaac B. Young, off North St. This two story house
was built for Lieut. Francis Peabody a few years before his
death, which occurred in 1698. According to family tradi-
tion the house was erected in 1692, the year of the witchcraft
delusion. The huge chimney was taken down in 1886, and
the large addition in the rear was built in 1891, by Orin
Howard.

See Cleaveland’s Address, 1850, pp. 67-8; Hist. Colls. Vol. VTI, p. 62,
line 15.

Laura A. Ellison, North St. This two story house
was built about 1700. Thomas Symonds was born here in
1711 and died here Jan. 10, 1791. The house remained in
the possession of the Symonds family for 175 years. In the
west room is the largest fireplace remaining in any house in
town. Its dimensions are : 9 feet long, 6 feet high, and 4.2 ^eet
deep. It has a brick oven on either side of the fireplace be-
hind the fire. It also has a ledge or shelf eight inches wide,
twelve inches high and nine inches deep, and on which was kept
the tinder box, etc. This was the last house in town in which
the hand loom was used. Miss Betsey Symonds, who died Oct.
19, 1871, aged 88 years, was the weaver. When the house
was repaired a few years ago, a brick was found in the chim-
ney marked “1700.”

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 85, line 36.

Francis C. Frame, off North St. This one story house
was built for its present owner in 1875 by Albert Chesley.
A two story house that stood partly on this site was taken
down the same year. It was built for Thomas Dorman in
1690 and was occupied for many years by the Smith family.
Asahel Smith, the grandfather of Joseph Smith, the founder

^■/. \ -

-?*

>.*-*-■ • ■ ■

>-•■ i >

V f

■6:^.

(

n . '

THE DORMAN-SMITH HOUSE, BUILT IN 1690,

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

of Mormonism, lived here until his removal to New Hamp-
shire in 1790.

See Hist. Cols. Vol. VII, p. 60, line 4.

Dora L. Osgood, North St. This one story house was
formerly William Fears’ carpenter shop that stood near what
is now the Thomas J. Kneeland house on Main street. In
1847-8 it was moved to this site and remodeled into a dwell-
ing-house for Augustine S. Peabody, who conveyed the same
May 9, 1883, to Henry B. Osgood.

Franklin Magraw, North St. This two story house was
built for Stephen Foster in 1748 and was owned by Nathaniel
Foster in 1798. In 1877-8, part of the old house was taken
down and the remaining part was remodeled by John H. Pot-
ter, who came into possession of the property by way of ex-
change with John Smith, the owner, for the house on Central
street which he had just built. About five hundred feet in a
northwesterly direction from the Magraw house is the cellar
of the old Stephen Foster house. It is about one hundred
and fifty feet over the Ipswich boundary line and is still a very
deep cellar. The house was probably taken down not long
after the new house was built.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. Vll, p. 71, line 36.

Mrs. Mary S. Kimball, Park St. This two story house
was built for its present owner in 1889, by Isaac Berry of
Danvers. In 1800, this and the adjoining land, extending to
what is now High street, belonged to Dr. Nehemiah Cleave-
land.

Boston & Maine Railroad Station, Park St. When
the Danvers & Georgetown R. R. was built, in 1854, the sta-
tion was located on Main street, on the northwesterly side of
the crossing. On Aug. 30, 1854, a passenger train was run
for the first time between Topsfield and Georgetown, on what
was then the Danvers and Georgetown Railroad. The car-
riage approach being insufficient and the accommodations
limited, in 1896 a new station was built on Park street, about
equidistant between Main and Summer streets. It was first
occupied Jan. 25, 1897.

Abijah B. Richardson, Park St. This one story house
was built for its present owner in 1878, by Albert Chesley.

Mrs. Jotham Welch, Park St. This one story house
was built for Jotham Welch in 1874, by George Cummings.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Rev. George L. Gleason, Perkins St. This two story
house was built in the early part of the i8th century. It was
owned by Timothy Perkins in 1718, and taxed to his son
Jonathan Perkins in 1738. He was a “bricklayer” by trade
and was killed, June 25, 1749, by falling from a chimney.
His heirs sold the property to David Perkins in 1759-60, and
it remained in the Perkins name until Apr. 5, 1861, when it
was sold to Rev. Francis Welch. About 1883 it was pur-
chased by its present owner.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 80, line 35.

John J. Watson, Perkins St. This two story house was
built by George Henry Welch in 1 878, for his own occupancy.

Rev. George L. Gleason, Perkins St. On the left-hand
side of the road at the top of the little rise, a short distance
easterly from the Gleason and Watson houses, formerly stood
the two story house long known as the “Nathaniel Hammond
house,” occupied by both father and son of that name. The
elder, in his day, was a prominent man in town affairs. He
died Dec. 3, 1842, aged 86 yrs. ii mos. The old house was
taxed to Stephen Perkins in 1749, and his grandson, Nathan-
iel Perkins Averill, sold it to Nathaniel Hammond, March 12,
1791. The house was taken down in 1887, by Josiah P. Per-
kins, who then owned it.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 74, line 36.

Thomas E. Proctor, off Perkins St. The present two
story house was built for Samuel Bradstreet in 1771. Before
the house was quite finished, his son, John Bradstreet, was
born here, Dec. 9, 1771. This house was remodeled for its
present owner in 1899-1900, by John H. Potter. The pres-
ent barn and stable was built in 1835, was thoroughly
remodeled in 1898-9, and several outbuildings were also built
in 1899-1900, by the same carpenter. The large barn, 112
feet long, which stood south of the road and nearly opposite
the present barn, was taken down by Samuel Bradstreet some
time after 1835, when the present barn was built.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VI, p. 53; Vol. VII, p. 64, line 28.

Nearer the river, formerly stood an old two story house,
the Col. Porter Bradstreet place, which was last taxed in May,
1874. Sometime after this date the old house was sold to
Porter Brown of North Beverly, by Humphrey Balch, and

THE PERKINS-GLEASON HOUSE, PERKINS STREET.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

was taken down and moved, the material being used in build-
ing a barn in North Beverly.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 63, lines 24 and 38.

Dr. Henry F. Sears, Perkins St. This two story resi-
dence, with stable, greenhouse, etc., and barn, farmhouse, and
other buildings, located across the road, was built in 1901 for
its present owner, by Mr. McDonald of Melrose Highlands.
Nearly opposite the driveway leading to the house, formerly
stood a school-house which was built in 1794, on land of
Robert Perkins, at a cost of ;^37.8.6. (See A. A. Clarke,
Boston street.) In 1847 the last “East School House” was
built by Capt. Israel D. Elliott and Samuel Clarke. It stood
near the large elm tree, a little back from the road and north-
erly from the Sears’ residence. Samuel S. McKenzie taught
his last singing school in this school-house in 1880. In 1902
it was moved, by Albert H. Towne of Boxford, to the “Dud-
ley Quinn Perkins place,” and is now used as a poultry
house.

The two story house known as the “Josiah P. Perkins place,”
was built for Dudley Perkins in 1855, by Jacob Foster, an old
two story house being taken down the same year.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 82, line 38.

The two story house, until recently known as the “Dudley
Quinn Perkins place,” was built for him in 1872, by Jacob
Foster, an old two story house that was standing on this site
was taken down the same year.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 82, line 29.

The two story house long known as the “Capt. Robert Per-
kins place” and afterwards as the “Dodge place,” and which
stood across the road from the “Dudley Quinn Perkins farm,”
was destroyed by fire, Feb. 16, 1874. Two barns on this
place, one old, the other newly built, were also burned on the
afternoon of March 6, 1858. (See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p.
82, line 17.) A few rods easterly from the site of this house
and on the same side of the road, stood the Robert Perkins
jr., dwelling-house. It was taken down about 1839, by
William Preston Dodge who bought the adjoining property.

The farm house long known as the “poor farm,” and which
was sold by the town to its present owner in 1901, was built
for Deacon Solomon Dodge in 1769. It was bought of
Cyrus Cummings, April 5, 1822, by the town of Topsfield, and

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

used as an almshouse until it passed to its present owner.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VI, p. 63; Vol. VII, p. 69, line i.

In this vicinity lived John Redington, town clerk, whose
house, containing the town records, was destroyed by fire in
1658.

Mrs. Ida MacCracken, (of Newburyport), Perkins St.
This two story house, now occupied by Ephraim P. Fergu-
son, was built for Humphrey Wildes in 1835, his heirs
sold the same to Moses B. Perkins in 1865-6, who remodeled
it somewhat during his ownership. For several years past
it has been known as the James H. Sleeper place.

Site of Humphrey Wildes House, Perkins St. In the
pear orchard at the forks of the road on coming from Mile
Brook bridge, formerly stood a two story house owned and
occupied by the Wildes family. From it, Sarah Wildes, ac-
cused of witchcraft, was taken to Salem jail by her step-son,
Ephraim Wildes, then constable of the town. The house
was last occupied by Humphrey Wildes, who built the house
nearby and now occupied by Ephraim P. Ferguson. The old
house was taken down in the fall of 1835. The old barn
stood across the road and gradually fell down. The frame
was down about 1885.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 89, line 16.
Site of Nehemiah Perkins House, Perkins St. A
short distance easterly from the corner of Perkins street and
Ridge street, may be seen the cellar and ruined chimney of
this old two story house which was destroyed by an incendi-
ary fire on the night of Jan. 16, 1891. The barn was also
burned eight days later. This house was taxed to William
Perkins as early as 1744. His heirs sold the property to
Oliver Perkins, Dec. 8, 1789, and he in turn sold to Moses
Bradstreet, Dec. 4, 1794. (See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 64,
line 19.) He was the father of Mrs. Nehemiah Perkins.
Albert Cornelius Perkins, Dartmouth College, 1859, Princi-
pal of Phillips Exeter Academy, and John Wright Perkins,
Harvard College, 1865, Principal of Dummer Academy, and
now Superintendent of Schools at Salem, were both born in
this house. Their father, Nehemiah Perkins, died here April
7, 1881, aged 87 years and 6 days.

Sites of the Averill Houses, off Perkins St. This lo-
cality has for many years been known as “The Colleges,”

]

THE NEHEMIAH PERKINS HOMESTEAD,

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

from the fact, so the story goes, that the Averills were prom-
inent men in town affairs, — office holders, etc., and some of
the most intelligent people in the place. They were cabinet-
makers and owners of a saw-mill and in the early days sub-
scribed to one of the three copies of a newspaper that came
into the town. The other two subscribers were Nehemiah
Cleaveland, M. D., and Jacob Towne, Esq. The Averill
farms, of two hundred acres in extent, were originally owned
by Gov. Simon Bradstreet, who sold the land, Feb. i, 1692,
to John and Nathaniel Averill. The property is now owned
by Thomas Emerson Proctor, a descendant of the Governor.

According to the deed given by Gov. Bradstreet to the
Averills there were buildings upon the property before 1692.
Probably, not long after buying the farm, the Averill broth-
ers dammed Mile brook and there built the first saw-mill.
This mill remained in the Averill name until 1835, when it
was sold to Porter Bradstreet. See Hist. Colls. Vol. II, p.
87. The last mill, which was owned by B. Austin Perkins,
was destroyed by an incendiary fire on the night of Feb. 22,
1891. Near-by, on the higher ground, by the south bank of
the brook, may be seen the cellar of the Bickford house.
This house, a small one story building, was originally located
near what is now the Thomas F. Cass farm on River street,
and was owned by William Munday, who gave the building
to Mrs. Mehitable Bickford in 1827. “Granny Bickford,” as
she was popularly known, had been living in the Nathaniel
Averill house on the other side of the brook, but the house
becoming dilapidated. Col. Porter Bradstreet and his brother
Dudley Bradstreet, who were her near neighbors, moved the
building which had been given to her by William Munday,
to this spot and fitted it up for her to live in. Her son Sam-
uel Bickford lived here for many years after her death, which
occurred Aug. 31, 1845, in Beverly, where she had gone to
visit relatives. The house, much dilapidated, was taken down
by Dudley Bradstreet in the spring of 1891.

About three hundred feet northeasterly from the site of the
saw-mill is the cellar of the Nathaniel Averill house, which
was built, it is supposed, shortly after the Averill brothers
purchased the farm. It was a large two story house and ap-
pears on the 1744 tax list. Capt. Moses Averill, familiarly

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

known as “Priest Averill,” lived here and rebuilt the saw-mill.
He finally removed to Middleton. Mrs. Mehitable Bickford,
who was the daughter of Daniel Averill, was the last occu-
pant. The house was torn down about 1828. The first floor
was left for a while, and during that time an ox belonging to
Nehemiah Perkins walked on the unprotected floor, and
breaking through into the cellar, was extricated by tearing
down a part of the cellar wall and digging away the earth, the
result of which can yet be plainly seen. The only injury the
ox sustained was a broken tail. Nathaniel Averill was a car-
penter by trade. A wheelwright shop stood near the house
for many years. See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 59, line 31.

About half a mile northwesterly from the foregoing site is
a well-preserved cellar located in a beautiful grove of locust
trees. Jacob Averill was living here as early as 1745, and
Daniel and Solomon Averill owned the property in 1798. In
1841, Cyrus Averill bought this house and land from the ad-
ministrator of the estate of Daniel Averill jr., who died April
6, 1838, and about 1843 the old house was taken down. It
was the last house standing in “The Colleges,” proper. The
barn was blown down shortly after. An old shoe shop was
the last building to remain standing, and about 1845-6 it was
sold to Cyrus Peabody, who removed it to his place on the
Newburyport turnpike now owned by Benjamin C. Dodd.
See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 58, line 31 ; Vol. VIII, p. 52.

About four hundred feet distant, in an easterly direction
from the last named house, and near the willow grove, may
be seen the sites of two houses about sixty feet apart, with a
roadway passing between. The house on the north side of
the way was known as the Jacob Averill house, one half of it
being taxed to him in 1798. See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p.
59, line 23. He probably was the last occupant, for after his
death. Sept. 14, 1807, the building was used as a carpenter
and wheelwright shop for nearly thirty years, and at last, in
1840, was sold to Samuel Todd and J. Perkins Towne. They
removed it to what is now High street and remodeled it into
the dwelling-house now owned by the heirs of Henry Herrick.
The house across the way, and just under the hill, was known
as the Solomon Averill house in the early part of the 19th
century, he having bought it May 25, 1791. It was taxed to

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Jeremiah Averill in 1745 and it is said was originally a cab-
inet-maker’s shop. In 1768, Jeremiah Averill was assessed
for a house and shop. The late Cyrus Averill was born here
Oct. 30, 1802, his father, Solomon Averill, being born Aug.
20, 1769, in the house that stood among the locusts. In
1838 the house became unsafe to live in and was abandoned
and three years later was taken down.

About half a mile from this site, in a northerly direction,
is the cellar of the house of late years known as the Blaisdell
house. It was a two story house and was taxed to Luke Aver-
ill in 1744. Isaac Averill owned the property in 1776 and in
1820 it was taxed to his sons, Joseph and Luke Averill.
Joseph was popularly known as “Neighbor Joe.” The old
barn near-by was destroyed by an incendiary fire, Oct. i , 1 890,
and the house, with a partly constructed barn and other out-
buildings, was also destroyed by an incendiary fire, April i,
1891. The house had been unoccupied about four weeks
when burned, J. Albert Blaisdell being the last occupant.
See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 59, line 12.

Wellington Donaldson, Perkins St. This one story
house was built by Samuel Clarke in 1831, for his own occu-
pancy. The house has been remodeled somewhat by the
present owner. The barn in the rear was originally the North
School House, which was built in 1794, near the corner of
Ipswich and Perkins streets. In 1846 it was sold to William
Peabody and removed to land then owned by William Don-
aldson, on Perkins street, where it was first used as a dwell-
ing, and then, for many years, as a shoemakers’ shop, and
afterwards it was enlarged for a barn.

Barney Mulligan, Perkins St. A two story house stood
near this site which was sold by the heirs of Thomas Howlett
to Thomas Cummings, May 6, 1763, and the heirs of Thom-
as Cummings sold the same to Abraham Hobbs in 1767.
The Hobbs family lived in this house for several years, until
one night in the fall of 1780, as shown by the town records,
when the old Howlett-Cummings-Hobbs house was entirely
destroyed by a fire caused by the upsetting of a light in the
attic, where the owner kept a litter of puppies. The present
house was probably built the following year, as it was taxed
in 1782. Sometime afterwards a shop was built near the

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

road, in which it is said “Master” George Hobbs made wood-
en plows. This building was taken down a few years ago,
and some of the material was used to build a shed in the rear
of the house. This place passed out of the Hobbs name
May 10, 1826, when it was sold to Moses Wildes, who con-
veyed the same to Joseph Adams, March 10, 1829. Mr.
Adams owned it for several years and finally sold to Benjamin
Robinson, April 15, 1842. It was during his ownership that
the house was thoroughly remodeled. His heirs sold the
property about 1874, since which time it has had several dif-
ferent owners.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. Ill, p. 172; Vol. VII, p. 75, line 13.

Mrs. Ellen Ellard, Pine St. This one story house
was built for Jewett Pingree, about 1845, on the farm now
owned by William Lavallette, in Linebrook. In 1873 it was
moved to this site and raised and remodeled by Jacob Foster
for Joshua Conroad, who sold the property, June 2, 1875,
to Mrs. Ellen Ellard.

Henry R. White, Pine St. This one story house was
built for Benjamin F. Deland, in 1873, by John H. Potter.
This and adjoining land between Ipswich and Haverhill streets
was sold in 1796, by Thomas Foster, to Dr. John Merriam.

Charles Carmody, Pine St. This one story house was
originally about the last building that remained at “The Col-
leges,” proper, off Perkins street. It was a shoe shop stand-
ing in the locusts and belonged to the estate of Daniel Aver-
ill jr. Nehemiah Perkins, the administrator of his estate,
sold it to Cyrus Peabody, about 1845-6, who had it removed
to his place, on the Newburyport turnpike, now owned by
Benjamin C. Dodd. There it was used as a shop for several
years and then was sold to Salmon D. Hood, Esq., who had
it removed to his place at Hood’s Pond. After remaining
there for several years, and being used as a shoe shop, it was
bought by George Shepherd and again removed to its pres-
ent site, the land before this being owned by the heirs of
Amos S. Chapman. Here it has been used as a dwelling, an
addition having been built on after its last removal.

Salmon D. Hood, Pond St. This one story house, which
has been remodeled several times, was built about the middle
of the 1 8th century. It was taxed to John Hood in 1758.

THE GOULD-STEVENS HOUSE, PROSPECT ST.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

The farm has been in the possession of the family for nearly
two centuries. This has long been the home of S. D. Hood
Esq., who has been a prominent citizen in town affairs for
the past thirty-five years, and who has also been engaged in
settling estates for upwards of forty years.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 76, line 14.

Job H. Frame, off Prospect St. This two house was
formerly in the Perkins family and is without doubt two hun-
dred or more years old. Of late years it has been known as
The Hubbard house. The house was remodeled in 1887 by its
owner, Samuel H. Dane, and when the old chimney was taken
down, a brick was found dated “1686.”

See Hist. Colls. Vol. 7, p. 83, line ii.

William Ladd Dodge, Prospect St. This large one
story house, long known as the Sanderson house, was built
for Mrs. Sally Sanderson, in 1845, by Constantine McKenzie.
It was the first house that John H. Potter helped to build, he
being then an apprentice aged twenty-two years.

William G. Lake, Prospect St. This two story house
was built for John G. Hood, in 1856, by Daniel Willey and
I. M. Small. This property was sold by the Hood heirs
to Caleb K. Perkins, March 28, 1859, and his widow sold the
same to William G. Lake, March 20, 1889.

Estate of Andrew Gould, Prospect St. This two story
house was built for Andrew Gould in i860, by John H. Pot-
ter. Mr. Gould was a prominent man in town affairs and
died here Oct. 6, 1896, aged 90 years, 9 months and 25 days.

The Lang House Cellar, Prospect St., may be seen on
the right-hand side of the street, half way up the hill. The
house was originally a peat-house that stood in a mead-
ow on the northerly side of West street, and which was moved
to this site not long before 1840. Here it was made into a
dwelling-house for Moses Richardson, a negro, who came
from Andover, by David Lake, who owned the land on either
side of the road. Richardson, the first occupant, was a tink-
er. He was followed by Charles Lang. The house was
taken down about 1854-5.

Estate of Richard Price, Prospect St. This two story
house was built for Charles H. Lake in t866, by John H.
Potter, who had built the stable for him in 1865. Mr. Lake,
at one time, had about them, extensive nurseries of fruit and

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

ornamental trees. He sold the property to Richard Price
and Octavius B. Shreve, March 15, 1872.

Percy Chase, Prospect St. This two story summer res-
idence was built in 1899 for its present owner, who resides in
Brookline. The stable was built in 1901.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VI, p. 87.

Albert W. Stevens, Prospect St. This two story house
was taxed to Zaccheus Gould as early as 1744. The easterly
end, according to the records of the late John Gould, was
built about 1670. The western half of the present house was
built in the early part of the i8th century. At the easterly
end of the house, and where the piazza now is, there was
built, before 1798, an addition that was styled in deeds “an
appendage,” which was owned and occupied, in 1831, by
William R. Hubbard, the singer, who had married Mary
Averill two years before. After living here a few years he
removed to Danvers and sold the “appendage,” in 1844, to
Mrs. Anna H. Sweeney, wife of Charles Sweeney. It re-
mained in her name until Jan. 5, 1880, when she sold it to
Mr. Stevens, who took down the building. A barn near the
house was struck by lightning July 19, 1900, and burned, the
house narrowly escaping destruction.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 74, line 23.

Site of Henry Lake House, Prospect St. Across the
street from the Stevens house may be seen the cellar of the
house of Henry Lake, weaver. This house was probably
built about 1681, at the time of his marriage with Priscilla
Wildes. The house had disappeared before 1798.

Edward E. Ferguson, Ridge St. This two story house,
now for several years unoccupied and in poor repair and
used as a storehouse, was built by John Averill in 1730. He
sold the house and farm to John Wildes, March 5, 1738. It
was afterwards owned by his son Ephraim Wildes, who died
March 28, 1812, and by will gave it to his wife Lydia Wildes.
Her heirs sold the property to Samuel Bradstreet, Oct. 28,
1833, and he in turn sold to Elisha Perkins, July 21, 1834.
His heirs sold the house and field, Oct. 24, 1870, to John F.
Perley, and Dec. 29, 1896, it passed to its present owner.
In this house were born Deacon John Wright and the late
Samuel Todd, both of them prominent in town and church
affairs.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 89, line 5,

THE BALCH-DOWNES HOUSE, RIVER STREET.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

The Averill Cellar, Ridge St. About five hundred
feet beyond the Ferguson house and at the left-hand side of
the road just as it leaves the ridge, may be seen the cellar
hole of the William Averill house. The barn formerly stood
just over the wall at the southeast, and there are evidences
of the location of some building of considerable size just over
the ridge behind the cellar hole. In Feb., 1663, William
Averill, carpenter, came from Ipswich and bought of Daniel
Clarke this farm of one hundred acres, with a house and out-
buildings. The road from Ipswich street was laid out, in
1666. The house was gone before 1775 and probably was
taken down not long after his son, John Averill, built his
house in 1730.

William P. Walsh, River St. This two story house,
formerly one story, was taxed to John Balch in 1769, and to
his son Cornelius Balch in 1776, and so continued until his
death, Aug. 21, 1795. The property then passed to his son-
in-law John Bradstreet jr., and May 23, 1833, to his son Cor-
nelius B. Bradstreet and wife Eunice, who had the house
raised to two stories about 1851. James H. Sleeper of Dan-
vers, was the carpenter. Mr. Bradstreet died July 23, 1858,
and his widow sold the property Sept. 5, 1873, to William P.
Walsh, who had the house remodeled somewhat in 1874. A
part of this farm was owned by William Towne, “the Ances-
tor”, in 1652.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 64, line 8.

The Moses Downes House, River St. This two story
house, now badly in need of repairs, was first occupied by
David Balch and was probably built shortly before his mar-
riage, which occurred April 29, 1713. It was taxed to David
Balch in 1744. This place was owned and occupied by
Thomas and Joshua Balch in 1798, and afterwards, in 1840,
by David B. Balch, who died June 27, i860. After this it
was owned by his daughter, the late Mary E. Balch, who was
for many years a teacher in Boston. Samuel Balch, the great
mathematician, was born here in 1755. He graduated at
Harvard in 1782 and taught a private school in this house
and also fitted young men for college. Some of his scholars
had formerly attended Phillips Academy at Andover, and had
been expelled therefrom because their religious views con-

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

flicted with those taught at the institution at that time. He
was afterwards, for many years, a successful teacher in
Aniesbury.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 62, line i.

Estate of Albert Webster, off River St. This one
story house was taxed to Daniel Lake in 1768. He sold the
property to Henry Bradstreet, March 30, 1769, who owned it
until his death which occurred Sept. 2, 1818. The Bradstreet
heirs sold to Erastus Clarke, April 23, 1829, and he sold the
same to Charles Mansfield, Oct. i, 1852. Mr. Mansfield con-
veyed the property, Nov. 20, 1855, to George W. Reid and
Charles H. Tyler, trustees for Eliza Ricker. After her decease
the said trustees conveyed it to Sarah J. Beal, June 2, 1863,
and she sold it to Albert Webster, June 12, 1 867. During his
ownership he built several new buildings. He died Nov. 8,
1902. For picture of the land and buildings see Essex
County Atlas, Philadelphia, 1871.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 63, line 28.

Samuel H. Conley, River St. This one story house
was built for A. Austin Lake in 1874, by Warren Prince of
Beverly. About half way between the house and the street,
and in a line with the Walsh house, have been found eviden-
ces of a cellar, indicating the location of a house, which is
said to be the site of one of the Stanley houses.

William H. Walsh, River St. This two story house was
built for Eleazer Lake, jr., in 1808. About 1845, ^ large
addition was built for his son Eleazer, equal in size to
about one-half of the present house. This property, after it
passed from the Lake name, was sold by Thomas Fuller,
Nov. 17, 1890, to Albert W. Stevens. The property was
taxed to John F. Miller of Boston, May i, 1892. It was
finally sold by Albert W. Stevens to William P. Walsh, July
16, 1892.

Charles H. Lake and Mrs. Sarah Garrett, River
St. This two story house was taxed to Eleazer Lake in 1744.
The eastern end was probably built in the early part of the
1 8th century, and the western part was built some time after-
wards. This property has been in the Lake family for nearly
two centuries, as it was bought, Feb. 28, 1717, by Eleazer
Lake, of Samuel, John and Jacob Stanley for ;^2|8o.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 77, line 21.

RESIDENCE OF BAXTER P, PIKE,

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Cellar of Stanley House, off River St. In

a northwesterly direction from the Charles H. Lake house,
and about five hundred feet from River street, in Mr. Lake’s
pasture, may be seen the site of one of the two old Stanley
houses of this vicinity. It was probably built during the 1 7th
century, as Matthew Stanley came to this town in 1659.
The house had disappeared before 1769.

Thomas F. Cass, River St. This two story house was
built for Capt. William Munday in 1836. He sold the
house and farm to the late Thomas Cass, Aug. 20, 1853,
since which time it has remained in the family.

Estate of Benjamin Fuller, River St. This one story
house was originally a shoe shop, and was located near the
George W. Twitched house in Boxford. In it, Marion Gould
carried on a shoe manufacturing business. In the fall of
1865, it was sold to Benjamin Fuller, who had it removed to
its present location, had an addition built, and the whole
fitted up for a dwelling-house. The carpenter work was
done by Capt. Israel D. Elliott.

Connolly Bros., Rowley St. This two story house was,
for several generations, in the Dorman family. In 1765 it
was taxed to widow Abigail Dorman and her two sons,
Nathaniel and Ephraim Dorman. Of late years it has been
known as the Asa Bixby house. There is a tradition that
an old house formerly stood on the west side of this road in
what is now a pasture and woodlot.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 69, line 13.

Mrs. Rosan Day, Rowley St. This one story house
was originally a barn built for John Perley about 1835,
stood near the farm of the late Nathan Dodge in Line-
brook. Mr. Perley had it moved to this site and remodeled
into a house for himself in 1840.

Baxter P. Pike, Rowley Bridge St. This two story
house, which was remodeled and a considerable addition
made in 1889 for its present owner, by John H. Potter, was
built for Benjamin Pike in 1803. It stands about ten
rods from the site of an older house, which was taken down
sometime after the new house was finished. In the present
house, now one hundred years old, a child has never been
born. Near the ell of the house there once stood a barn,

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

which was burned Jan. 26, 1819. The road formerly passed
in the rear of the present house. This farm was originally a
part of the farm of the first Zaccheus Gould, who sold it to
Zaccheus Curtice in 1663 and probably he built his house
soon after. In 1748, the farm passed out of the family
name and was successively owned by David Balch, Thomas
Mower, and Jacob Kimball, who sold it Feb, 5, 1781, to
Benjamin Pike, since which time it has remained in the fam-
ily. Baxter P. Pike, the present owner, has been a promi-
nent citizen in town affairs for the past twenty-five years.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 84, line 5.

The John Curtice Cellar. About half way between
Rowley Bridge street and Hill street and near an excellent
spring of water, may be seen the cellar of the John Curtice
house, which was probably built about 1714, when his father
sold him twelve acres of land on which the house was after-
wards located. The house was last taxed in 1767.

Mrs. George W. Towne and Walter S. Peterson,
Rowley Bridge St. The present two story house was built
about 1778-1780, for David Towne. It was thoroughly re-
modeled for John A. Peterson in 1880, by John H. Potter.
A cider mill, that was located across the road and which was
built about 1812, together with the “Liddy and Betty
Towne” house, which had been moved to an adjoining site,
were destroyed by fire on the night of Sept. 26, 1880.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 86, line 33.

Site of Jabez Towne House, Between Rowley Bridge
St. and Hill St., formerly stood the house owned and occu-
pied by Jabez Towne. It was probably built in 1730, which
was the year that he married, and the year after he
bought the land. He sold the house and farm to Daniel
Lake, April 25, 1763. The house was gone before 1798.

The Foster-Horne Cellar, off Rowley Bridge St. The
two story house that formerly stood on this site was de-
stroyed by a fire, which began about six o’clock on the
morning of June 6, 1882. The house was built by John
Cummings about 1711. It was owned by Amos and Abra-
ham Foster, and taxed to them in 1798.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 71, line 29.
The Gideon Towne Cellar. Off Rowley Bridge St.
and near Hill St., in Wheatland’s (formerly Peterson’s)

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

“High'Fields” at the top of the hill, may be seen a slight
depression that marks the site of the Gideon Towne house,
which was probably built in the latter part of the 17th cen-
tury. The house had’ disappeared before 1798, as it was
not taxed at that date.

Site of the Old School-House, Rowley Bridge St.
Nearly opposite the South Side cemetery and about where
the bend in the wall occurs in Batchelder’s orchard, there
formerly stood a school-house. In Sept., 1738, two years
before he removed to Windsor, Conn., Jacob Redington,
cooper, because of the “great desire I have to promote good
learning among the children and youth in the neighbor-
hood,” sold to Joseph Herrick, George Bixby and Aaron
Esty, 13 poles of land, “to build a school house to keep
school in * * *, the above said Herrick, Bixby and Esty,
being a committee chosen by the proprietors and under-
takers to said house, to take a deed of the land in their
name.” This tract of land has been found to be situated on
Hill St., near Frank H. Towne’s place. If a school-house
was built at that place, it must afterwards have been moved
to Rowley Bridge St., or a new one built, as a school-house
was standing there in 1790, and remained in existance until
within the memory of the last generation, though its use for
school purposes had long since been discontinued.

See School-House, Boston St.

William L. Batchelder, Rowley Bridge St. This two
story house was built for Ezra Batchelder in 1852, by James
H. Sleeper. The old two story house, which stood near the
site of the present house but upon higher ground, and
which was known as the Nathaniel Porter place, was built in
the early part of the i8th century. William and Phebe
Porter sold the house to Joseph Herrick of Beverly in 1728.
The old house was taken down about 1876.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. Vll,p. 86, line 7.
Mrs. Mary S. Batchelder, off Rowley Bridge St. The
east end of this two story house was built before 1762, when
it was owned by Elijah Porter, tanner, and by him sold to Enos
Knight. Porter removed to what is now the village and bought
the farm now known as the “Church Home.” The west
part of the house was originally the Benjamin Towne house,
built about 1713, off the Middleton road, which was moved and

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

attached in 1796-7. On July 31, 1896, a fire nearly de-
stroyed the roof of the original part of the house. The new
barn on this place was built in 1896, by John H. Potter.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. V, p. 21; Vol. VII, p. 67, line 5.

Benjamin Conant, Rowley Bridge St. This two story
house was taxed to Daniel Porter in 1765. It was remodeled
for its present owner in 1884. The farm is a part of the original
grant of land to John Porter the settler. The next house,
also owned by Benjamin Conant, was built for Isaiah Peabody
in 1845. was afterwards owned by Allen Porter, and
later by Henry Johnson and his son George H. Johnson.
The house was remodeled somewhat during the ownership
of Henry Johnson.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 84, line 7.

Benjamin J. Balch, Salem St. This two story house
was built for John Balch, and was taxed to him as early as
1769. By a deed dated Sept. 2, 1771, John Balch conveyed
to his son John Balch, jr., the western half of his new house,
and sometime afterwards the eastern half was conveyed to
his son Roger Balch, who was taxed for it in 1776. In 1809
the eastern part of the house was taxed to Perley Balch, son
of Roger, and so continued until his death, which occurred
May 2, 1858. The property afterwards passed to the pres-
ent owner. Perley Balch, jr., son of Perley, for many years
a successful teacher in the city of Lowell, was born here
Apr. 27, 1809.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 61, line 16.

David Pingree, Salem St. In 1798, near where the
present house stands, there was a small one story house
having but five windows and owned by Moses Perkins (See
Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 82, line 10.). Here was born, Apr.
2, 1758, Capt. Thomas Perkins, the eminent Salem merchant,
who erected the present two story house in 1806. Samuel
Hood was the carpenter. Capt. Perkins died Nov. 24, 1830,
aged 72 yrs. 7 mos. 22 days. The property was inherited by
Asa Pingree, who afterwards had built, by Charles C. Brack-
ett, in 1836-7, the two story house now known as the “farm
house.” Here his mother lived until her death, June 10,
1853. A chaise-house, . which stood near the mansion-
house, was destroyed by fire in 1849. The present carriage-
house was built, in 1850, of stone brought from Crooked

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Pond in Boxford, and the two story “Stone House” was al-
so built of material from the same place, in 1836. It was
located on Salem Street on the easterly side, a few hundred
feet beyond the Turnpike, and was taken down by David
Pingree in 1885. Just beyond it stood a blacksmith’s shop,
which was destroyed by fire about 1855. The small house,
at the westerly corner of Hill and Salem Streets, was stand-
ing Sept. 2, 1771, when it was sold to John Balch jr. by his
father. It was originally a currying shop and was used as
such for a long time, afterwards being changed into a dwell-
ing-house, and in 1830 was occupied by George Creelman.
At the end of the lane leading northerly from this point,
stands the two story house which was built for Moses Brad-
street in 1875, by John H. Potter. The old two story house,
which formerly stood on this site, was taken down in April
of the same year.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 63, line 12; Vol. VI, pp. 77, 79.

Alden S. Peabody, Salem St. This one story house
was built for Ebenezer Peabody in 1852, by Jacob Foster.
A barn and carriage-house, standing in the rear of the
house, were struck by lightning and destroyed by fire early
in the morning of August 20, 1890.

The two story house at the corner of Wenham and Salem
Streets, is very old. In 1744 it was taxed to Matthew Pea-
body, and in 1768, one half of it was taxed to John Peabody,
who also owned it in 1798. If passed out of the family and
was owned for many years by James Waters. It is probably
over two hundred years old, and tradition has it that it was
built while Parson Hobart lived in the town (Oct. 1672-
Nov. 1682), because he was present at the raising and en-
joyed the festivities of the occasion. The Rev. Josiah
Peabody, who graduated at Dartmouth College in 1836, and
was for several years a missionary to the Armenians at
Erzroom, Turkey, was born in this house Jan. 7, 1807. The
barn on this place was built for James Waters in 18715, by
John H. Potter.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 79, line 28.

William H. Homan, Salem St. This two story house
was taxed to Daniel Esty as early as 1768. Mrs. Deborah
Kimball, who lived to be 100 years and 2 months old, was
born in this house in 1779 and afterwards owned it. A

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

blacksmith’s shop formerly stood near the house.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 6o, line 26.

Site of Michael Dwinell House, off Salem Street.
About 600 feet off Salem street, and on the eastern side, in
Willard A. Dwinell’s old orchard pasture, may be seen the
site of the Michael Dwinell two story house, which was built
near the old Salem road that went through his land. Mr.
Dwinell came from France, and is supposed to have come to
this town about 1664. He was the ancestor of the Dwinell
family here. Near this site, in the summer time, may be
seen beautiful red roses of different shades. These bushes
are supposed to have been here ever since he lived at this
place. The house was not taxed after 1760.

Cellar of Thomas Dwinell House, off Salem St. In
the same pasture anc^ about 150 feet in a southeasterly di-
rection from the site of the Michael Dwinell house, may be
plainly seen the cellar of the Thomas Dwinell house. This
cellar is still quite deep. The house was taxed as late as 1 765 .

Willard A. Dwinell, Salem St. This two story house
was built for its present owner in 1881, by John H. Potter.

Site of Joseph Dwinell House, off Salem St. On
the eastern side of Salem street, near a small grove called
“Cat Island”, in the field now belonging to the Dwinell sis-
ters and south of Willard A. Dwinell’s house, there formerly
stood the house of Joseph Dwinell. He was drowned May
19, 1747, in attempting to swim over Ipswich river. The
house was gone before 1770.

Misses Sarah and Esther Dwinell, Salem St. This
two story house was built for Jacob Dwinell in 1761, by
Othniel, Thomas and Archelaus Rea. The timber from
which the frame was hewn grew on the hillside a short dis-
tance to the westward of the house. In 1828 an addition was
built and the old fashioned long sloping roof in the rear of
the house, was removed. This was done by his grandson John
Dwinell and the house has since remained in its present
form. Mrs. Esther Dwinell, the mother of John, died here
Oct. 31, 1847, aged lOi years, 8 mos., 10 days. The barn
was built for John Dwinell in 1852, by Jacob Foster. This
property has been in the Dwinell name ever since the origi-
nal purchase over two hundred and thirty years ago.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 69, line 24.

* ;

THE DWINELL HOUSE, SALEM STREET. BUILT IN 1761.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Site of Dr. Michael Dwinell House, Salem St. On
a little knoll on the western side of Salem street, and a few
feet north of the driveway to the present house of the
Dwinell sisters, may be seen the site of Dr. Michael Dwinell’s
house. He was the first doctor on record in Topsfield,
styled in old papers as “Physician”. He had the honor of
having seven wives, the last one surviving him. He died
here Dec. 24, 1761, aged 91 years. His house was taxed as
a dwelling until 1778, and was afterwards used as a barn.
The old well is still in evidence.

Norman McLeod, off Salem St. This two story house
was built for John Rea in 1827, by Amos Wildes of Danvers.
He married Lydia Perkins and moved into this house Nov.
15, 1827. A barn nearby was destroyed by a fire which
began about eleven o’clock on the morning of Jan. 15, 1869.
An old two story house that formerly stood a few feet to the
eastward of the present house and which had long been in
the possession of the Rea family, was taken down on the
evening of Oct. 20, 1863, after a husking, at the request of
friends of “Aunt Nancy” Rea. The party went home about
two o’clock in the morning.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 85, line 10.

The Centre School-House, School Ave. This build-
ing was originally the Topsfield Academy and was built for
proprietors, in 1827-8. In i860 the title passed to Jacob W.
Reed of Groveland, who built an addition on the southern
end, which was used as a dwelling-house and afterwards be-
came part of the John Lynch house on Grove street. In 1868
the town purchased the property and it has been used as a
school-house ever since. An addition was made to it in
1889, by John H. Potter, and another in 1899, by Henry H.
Roberts.

See Topsfield Hist. Colls. Vol. IV, pp. 9-72; Vol. VI, p. 55.

Hook and Ladder House, off School grounds. This
long one story building was built by John H. Potter in the
summer of 1886, and was first located beside Park street, not
far from the present crossing-tender’s house on Main street.
It was removed to its present location April 10, 1890.

Alphonso T. Merrill, School Ave. This one story
house was built for Jacob W. Reed in 1861. It was origin-

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

ally a store and dwelling-house and was first located at the
corner of School avenue and Main street, on what is now J.
B. Poor’s lawn. It was bought by Benjamin P. Adams, June
lo, 1870, of the administrator of Jacob W. Reed’s estate,
and removed to its present location where it was remodeled
into a dwelling-house.

Daniel Fuller, Summer St. This two story house was
built for its present owner in 1875, by John H. Potter. It
stands on land owned by David Balch in 1800.

The Jordan-Towne Blacksmith Shop, Washington St.,
now occupied by James A. Gould, was built for C. Fred
Jordan in the fall of 1880. It was enlarged to its present
size in 1882.

Mrs. Sarah P. Towne, Washington St. This house,
now occupied by James Walch, was built by Capt. Israel D.
Elliott in 1826. It was afterward owned and occupied by
Samuel Janes. In 1882-3 it was remodeled and raised to two
stories by John H. Potter for Jacob Martin Towne. The
frame of this house was originally raised two stories, but was
blown down by a heavy gale of wind, and the timbers were
so broken up that it was finally rebuilt of one story in 1826.

Mrs. Susan Perkins, Washington St. This one story
house, known as “High Rock Cottage”, was built in 1856-7
by Isaiah M. Small for his own occupancy, it being modeled
after John W. Hutchinson’s house at High Rock, Lynn.
Between this house and the road there formerly stood, before
1800, a two story house, which was taken down about 1825
(See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 70, line 9,), and in its place
another two story house was erected, the first story being
built of brick. The latter was long known as the “Hart
house”. It was taken down in 1895. ^ barn that stood
near where the railroad runs at the present time, was struck
by lightning about eight o’clock, on the evening of Sept. 27,
1850, and destroyed by fire. The property was long known
as the Cyrus Webster place.

Rev. Francis A. Poole, Washington St. This one
story summer cottage was built in 1899 for its present owner,
by Henry H. Roberts.

Mrs. Mary J. Roberts, Washington St. This one story
house was built in 1872 for its present owner, by John H.
Potter. In 1888 an addition was built on by H. H. Roberts.

THE JOHN GOULD HOUSE, WASHINGTON STREET,

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

George L. Gould, Washington St. This property,
named by the present owner, “Pinelands,” was long known
as the John Gould place. The old house, built in 1769, was
taken down Oct. 4, 1883, by John H. Potter, for the owner,
John A. Gould of Boston. Some of the material was utilized
in building the present house. The old barn was built
about 1750 and then stood near the road and on a site about
half way between the driveway and the Geyer house. In
Sept. 1853, it was moved to a point about seventy feet from
its present location, and in 1895 was again moved and re-
built into the present stable. In 1895 present two story
house was built for its owner, by Mr. Higgins of Malden.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VI, p. 85; Vol. VII, p. 59, line i.

William H. Wildes, Washington St. This one story
house was built for its present owner in 1875, ^7 Jo^^^ H.
Potter.

Mrs. Sarah Wildes, Washington St. This one story
house was built for Moses Wildes in 1878, by Albert
Chesley.

Mrs. Amanda Geyer, Washington St. This one story
house was built for Andrew Geyer in 1886, by Isaac Berry
of Danvers.

Miss Esther Gould, Washington St. This two story
house was built for its present owner in 1898, by Henry H.
Roberts.

Mrs. Adeliza Fiske, Washington St. This one story
house was built for John Fiske in 1873, by John H. Potter.

Horace Ray, Washington St. This one story house
was built for Joseph Cressey in 1837, t>y Orin Stone. An
old fashioned shoe shop formerly stood near the road and
adjoining the Ray-Geyer boundary line.

Charles Perkins, Washington St. The two story house
was built in 1876, by George A. Towne. The one story
house, occupied by its owner, was built for Hiram Wells in
1836, by Maj. William Low of Boxford.

James B. McIntire, Washington St. This one story
house was built for James H. Conley in 1876, by George A.
Towne.

George W. Burnham, Washington St. This two story
house was built for Mrs. Elizabeth W. Burnham in 1881, by
Albert H. Towne, of Boxford.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

Job H. Frame, Washington St. This is the old John
Gould place. The two story house, formerly located a short
distance southwesterly from the present house, was stand-
ing in 1798, and was taken down in 1869 by S. Webster
Perkins, the new house being built for him the same year by
John H. Potter.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 73, line 3.

Horace D. Bradstreet, Washington St. This one story
house was built for Josiah L. Gould in 1850, by Isaiah M.
Small. The present barn was moved here from the Josiah
Gould farm in 1878.

Joachim Stark, Washington St. This two story house
was built for Dea. John Gould about 1765. Capt. Benjamin
Gould of Revolutionary fame lived here in 1778-9. The prop-
erty was sold March 25, 1791, to Rev. Asahel Huntington,
who was settled over the church in 1789. He died here
April 22, 1813. His son. Dr. Elisha Huntington, Mayor of
Lowell and Lieut. -Governor of Massachusetts, was born in
this house April 9, 1796, as was another son, Asahel, July
23. 1798, who was Mayor of Salem and for many years
District Attorney and Clerk of Courts for the County of
Essex.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 76, line 34.

Miss Lucy Gould, Washington St. This is the John
Gould, jr. place, a house being built by him for his own oc-
cupancy immediately after he sold the house across the road
to Rev. Asahel Huntington in 1791. A barn standing near
the house was destroyed by fire on the afternoon of Dec. 12,
1836; cause unknown.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 73, line ii.

The Timothy Fuller House, Washington St. This
two story house was taxed to Capt. Joseph Gould as early
as 1745, and it remained in the Gould name until May 15,
1872, when it was conveyed to Timothy Fuller. The house
was remodeled somewhat by his heirs in 1900-01.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 73, line 22-37.

Charles J. Peabody, Wenham St. The eastern end of
this two story house is quite old. It was taxed to Jacob
Dwinell, jr., as early as 1772, and it was sold byj. Dwinell,jr.,
and Cornelius Balch, April 19, 1777, to Nathaniel Richard-
son of Salem. He sold the property to John Peabody,

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

April 3, 1782, and since that date it has remained in the
Peabody name. In 1807 it was remodeled by John Pea-
body, jr., who added the western end at the same time. The
granite for the foundation was hauled by oxen from Quincy,
thirty-five miles away.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 80, line 3.

Loring a. Rust, Wenham St. This property, in 1798,
was a farm of thirty acres, and was owned by Nathaniel
Fiske. The one story house was taxed to him as early as
1768. It was remodeled for George W. Dwinell, the owner,
in 1882. He died Dec. 21, 1890, and the property after-
wards passed to the present owner.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 71, line 14.

Gilbert S. Mason, Wenham St. This one story house
was built for Alphonso Mason in 1887, by John H. Potter.
An old two story house, that formerly stood some forty feet
southwesterly from the present house, was taken down in
1899. This house was owned by Thomas Moore in 1798.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 79, line 6.

Arthur W. Phillips, off West St. This one story house
was built for Parker Brown Perley in 1868, by Jacob Foster.
In 1901 a large addition was built on to the house, for its
present owner, by Porter Peabody of Boxford. But a few
rods distant is the cellar of the old Solomon Perley house
which is just over the Boxford boundary line.

See Perley’s Dwellings of Boxford, p, 50.

Frank Bell, off Wildes St. Off the cross road leading
from Boston street to East street and sometimes called
Wildes street, is a two story house, on the site of which there
formerly stood a two story house that was built about 1765
for Benjamin Woodbury. In 1771 the property was con-
veyed to Amos Wildes of Ipswich, and it remained in the
Wildes family for nearly one hundred years. In i8ii,Amos
Wildes, a grandson, built a two story addition to the old house,
for his father Dudley Wildes. In 1883-4 the old part was
torn down and a two story ell was built for B. Austin Per-
kins by James H. Sleeper and son. Asa W. Wildes, lawyer,
teacher, and for a long time County Commissioner, who was
graduated at Dartmouth College in 1809, owned this place
for nearly forty years. His heirs sold the property to B.
Austin and Moses B. Perkins, May 10, 1859, since which

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

time the farm has been divided up and has had several different
owners.

See Hist. Colls. Vol. VII, p. 88, line 24.

Site of the Edward Neland House, Wildes St. On
the old boundary line between Topsfield and Ipswich, on
Wildes street, there formerly stood a house, a part of which
stood in Topsfield and the other part in Ipswich. This house
was in the possession of the Neland family as early as 1675-6.

It was taxed to Edward Neland in 1692. In 1697 the boun-
dary line was changed somewhat so that Neland’s dwelling
was thus left in Ipswich about two rods from the line. The
old well, which was by the side of the road and near the
wheel track, was filled up by order of the selectmen in 1890.

Site of the Philip Kneeland House. Not far from
the site of the Edward Neland house and in a westerly direc-
tion, may be seen the site of the Philip Kneeland house,
which was probably built in 1767, as it was first taxed to
him the following year. In 1798 it was owned and taxed to
his son Aaron Kneeland, who sold the property, April 8,
1811, to Elisha Perkins. After his ownership of two years,
it passed into the hands of John McKenzie, wheelwright,
who owned it for several years. His son, the late Alfred S.
McKenzie of Peabody, one of the best self-educated men in ]
the county, was born here Feb. 24, 1820. On Dec. i, 1825, '

John McKenzie made the property over to John Rea, jr., to |
be sold for the benefit of the McKenzie children, &c. Mr. ^
Rea sold the place Jan 17, 1826, to Nathaniel Potter, who ;
owned it for several years and then conveyed it to his five
children. May 19, 1851. They sold the same to Nathaniel
Foster, March 9, 1852, who took the old house down about
1877.

TOPSFIELD HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

ADDENDA.

The Town Hall was dedicated December 16, 1874. Dr
George B. Loring of Salem delivered the address on the
occasion.

The Methodist Church was dedicated June 14, 1854.
Rev. Lorenzo D. Barrows, D. D. of Lowell, preached the
dedicatory sermon, and the presiding elder, Rev. Loranus
Crowell, offered the prayer.

Frank H. Towne, Hill St. The old house that former-
ly was located in what is now the front garden, was proba-
bly owned and occupied by Daniel Redington in 1726. He
sold to his son Jacob that year, who, in 1740, sold the prop-
erty to George Bixby and removed to Windsor, Conn. In
1772, Bixby sold the farm to Samuel Cummings, who
transferred the property, the same day, to Ephraim Towne.

ERRATA.

Page 8, line 31, should read — the shop had been moved.

“ 12, “ 38, “ “ — in 1853.

“ 22, “ 3, “ “ — house that was taxed to

Ephraim Towne in 1773.

Page 29, line 4, should read — tomb, built in 1837.

“ 29, “5, “ “ — house was erected near its

location.

Page 41, line 27, should read — This two story house.

“ 53, “ 6, “ “ — This two story house.

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

COMPILED BY JOHN H. TOWNE.

Deposition of Wolter Ropper aged abought 48 yeares And
Willm Howard aged abought 52 yeares.

* * * moreover these deponants doth further witnes

That this sayd grant as before [torn] was in Cleere termes
recorded in to towne book [torn] Topsfeild : wch now they
of Topsfield saye was b[torn] when John Redingtons house
was burnt: fo[torn] sayd booke was kept.

Sworne in court at Ipswich 26 March 1661.

Essex County Court Papers, Vol. VI, p. 74.

As the earliest recorded entry now to be found on the
Topsfield town records is dated March 25, 1659, the destruc-
tion of John Redington’s house probably occurred in the fall
of 1658, or the succeeding winter.

May 31, 1660. The Court, on consideration of Zackeus
Golds great losse he lately susteined by fire, judge meete to
remit his fine of three pounds imposed for entertayning the
Quakers.

Mass. Bay Colony Records, Vol. IV, pt. i, p. 426.

Septr. 6, 1696. There was a Contribution for goodman
Kenney y‘ lost his house & goods by fire. There was gath-
ered 2-16-06.

(70)

Topsfield church records.

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

About 8 o’clock one evening in the fall of 1780, the house
of Abraham Hobbs, which stood a few rods southwest from
the present Barney Mulligan house, Perkins St., was totally
destroyed by fire. It was caused by the upsetting of a can-
dle in the attic, by a boy eight years old, who had gone there
to attend to his pets.

Town records and family tradition.

During the afternoon of January 26, 1819, a barn owned
and occupied by Benjamin Pike, was totally destroyed by fire.
The cause of the fire was unknown. The barn stood near
the present Pike house on Rowley Bridge street.

Town records.

Fire ! — On Tuesday night last, a house in Topsfield, [the
old Ivory Hovey house, Haverhill street,] occupied by
Messrs. Timothy and Solomon Emerson, was destroyed by
fire, caught from an oven which had been heated the preced-
ing afternoon, and they with their families narrowly escaped
perishing in the flames. More particulars of this disaster
are given in a piece, signed by T. Emerson, and inserted
below.

AN APPEAL TO THE BENEVOLENT.

Friends of Humanity!

On the night of the 2d inst. the house in which I lived was
demolished by fire, and all the provisions which by hard
labor I had laid up, and which would have comfortably sup-
ported my family through the winter, were destroyed, with
the principal part of the furniture and nearly all the clothing.
I am now, with my wife and five children, deprived of a
house and the necessaries of life. I am reluctant to ask your
aid, but am compelled to it by dire necessity; and whatever
your benevolent feelings may prompt you to bestow, I do
assure you will be gratefully received. But to return to the
distresses and cries of my family: these make me shudder
while I write ; they being taken out of their beds, and hove
out in the snow, and nothing on but their linen, and I
nothing on but my trousers. I froze my toes and fingers,
trying to keep my children from freezing. My brother, who

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

lived in the chamber over me, did but just escape with his
life, being stifled with smoke. My brother, having an old
lady blind and helpless, was obliged to carry her half a mile
to the first house. The house caught fire by the oven, it
being heated in the afternoon.

I was in my bed, being first accosted by the smoke in the
room, sprang from my bed, opening the doors, and the fire
burst immediately into the room. I was obliged to get my
family out as soon as possible. This was on Tuesday night
the 2d. day of January, 1821.

Timothy Emerson, Topsfield.

Salem Gazette, Jan. 9, 1821.

FIRE IN TOPSFIELD.

On Monday morning a fire broke out in the premises of
Mr. John Rea, jr., in Topsfield, by which the Tavern House,
together with a large barn, and a store, belonging to that
gentleman were destroyed. We are informed by persons
who were on the spot, that the fire originated in the barn, the
contents of which, — a large quantity of hay, grain, &c. two
horses, several hogs, two chaises, and two or three wagons, —
were destroyed. Considerable of the house furniture was
consumed, and also many other articles in the house, includ-
ing a gold watch. Mr. Perley’s store, on the opposite side
of the road, was preserved with great difficulty. It is sup-
posed that the fire was the work of an incendiary, as it was
first discovered in a part of the barn not occupied as a tavern
stable, and into which no one had been known to carry a
light. Mr. Rea was aroused at about one o’clock, and the
alarm reached Salem a little before two. Two engines from
Danvers, and one from New-Rowley, were present. Engines
also started from Salem — that from Boston street had made
considerable progress on the road, when it was stopped by a
messenger from the Chief Engineer of our Fire Department,
who was at the fire.

After the above was in type, we received from a corres-
pondent an account of the fire, in which he says — “Mr. Rea
saved literally nothing from the devouring element. He had
barely time to save the lives of himself and family. The

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

whole loss is estimated at five thousand dollars. There was
an insurance by the Merrimack Mutual Fire Insurance Co.
(Andover) of two thousand dollars on the buildings, which,
however, was held for the benefit of an individual having a
mortgage of the premises. The loss to Mr. Rea is TOTAL,
and we hope a liberal public will remember him in this hour
of calamity and need. His whole substance is consumed in
a night, and all his prospects for the support of himself and
his family blasted, as it were, in an instant. He has the
sympathies of his townsmen, and we hope they, and others,
of their abundance, will give him substantial proofs by their
deeds, as well as by their words. This is the first consider-
able fire which has ever taken place in the town, from its
settlements, and we regret to add, that it was, beyond all
question, the work of an incendiary.

Topsfield, Oct. 17, 1836.”

Salem Gazette, Oct. 18, 1836.

ANOTHER FIRE IN TOPSFIELD.

Last Monday at 3 P.M. a fire broke out in the barn. of Mr.
Josiah Gould of Topsfield, which was consumed, with all his
winter stock of hay, and grain, together with a wood shed,
&c. &c. Loss estimated at about $1000. By great exer-
tions the adjoining dwelling house, owned by Capt. Kilham,
was saved. There is, we learn, no way of accounting for the
fire. Mr. Gould is a worthy, hard laboring man, and his
loss is very severe.

Salem Gazette, Dec. 16, 1836.

In the fall of 1849, a chaise- house, owned and occupied
by Asa Pingree, was destroyed by fire. It stood a short
distance from his dwelling-house with a drive-way between.
It was only by great efforts that the dwelling-house was
saved from destruction. The water in the wells giving out,
barrels of cider were rolled out of the cellar and used to put
out the fire. Cause of fire unknown.

Fire in Topsfield. About 8 o’clock last evening, (Fri-
day), a barn [formerly owned by Cyrus Webster] belonging
to Miss Mulliken, in Topsfield, near the meeting house, was

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

Struck by lightning, and totally destroyed, with all its con-
tents, including ten tons of hay. Six persons were in the
barn, when it was struck, but none of them were injured.
The loss was about $500. Insured for $150 at the Holyoke
Mutual Ofhce.

After the above was in type, we received from an attentive
correspondent in Topsfield, the following additional particu-
lars :

The barn belonged to Mrs. Mullikin, of Salem, and was
entirely consumed, together with eight or ten tons of hay,
and a quantity of grain and beans belonging to Mr. Allen
Gould, and several cords of wood belonging to an occupant
of her house. In one end of the barn was a shoemaker’s
shop, having in it six or eight men at work, but no one ex-
perienced any other injury than a severe shock. A consid-
erable quantity of leather was in the shop, belonging to Mr.
C. Herrick, which was destroyed, together with the seats
and tools of the workmen. At the time of the fire the rain
came down in torrents : nevertheless the inhabitants turned
out, to the number of five or six hundred, but could afford
but little assistance, as the barn was completely on fire in a
few moments.

Salem Gazette, Sept. 28, 1850.

About noon, one day in the latter part of November, 1853,
a large barn, which stood beside the road in the field be-
tween the Palmer house and the cemetery [Haverhill St.],
was totally destroyed by fire. The barn was owned by Dr.
Royal A. Merriam. The cause of the fire was not known.

Town records.

Fire at Topsfield. On Friday afternoon, Dec. 9, 1853, at
52 o’clock, the barn [situated on Garden St.], with all its
contents of hay, grain, &c., of Asa Pingree, Esq., in
Topsfield, took fire and was entirely destroyed. The cause
of the fire was not known.

Salem Gazette, Dec. 13, 1853.

Between May i, 1854 and May i, 1855, a barn situated in
a pasture on the eastern side of High St., and south of the

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

river, was totally destroyed with all its contents, by a fire
which was supposed to have been set by some person. The
barn had long been owned and occupied by Henry Towne.

About 1855-6, a blacksmith shop, which stood near the
“Stone House” on Salem St., then owned by Asa Pingree,
was destroyed by a fire in the night. William M. Andrews
was the last occupant of the shop.

About 2 o’clock on the afternoon of Mar. 5-6, 1858, a
fire broke out which destroyed two barns, one old and the
other comparatively new, on the William Preston Dodge
place, Perkins St. Some of the contents, as hay, tools, &c.,
were also destroyed. It was only by strenuous efforts that
the house was saved.

Town records and family tradition.

During the month of February, 1867, the old Stephen
Perley house, off Haverhill St., was burned to the ground by
an incendiary fire. Only a few days before the fire, the
owner, being sick, had been taken to his brother’s house in
Boxford, where he soon after died. The house was very old.

Town records and family tradition.

A One story house, which formerly stood in a southwest-
erly direction from the foregoing house, was owned by, and
taxed to, William Moneys in 1798. It was afterwards
burned, but no date of the fire is recorded.

A few hundred feet southeasterly from the Charles G.
Cotton house, on Haverhill St., and on the left hand side of
the road leading to Hood’s Pond, there formerly stood a
two story house long known as the Benjamin Bixby place.
It was destroyed by a fire in the month of May, 1867.

Town records.

Fire. — On Friday forenoon, [Jan. 15, 1869], at about half
past ten o’clock, the barn of widow William Perkins, near
the Danvers line, was discovered to be on fire ; and, there
being no fire department in town, before sufficient assistance

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

could be procured, it was destroyed with its contents, which
included one horse, two heifers, one cow, and several tons of
hay. No doubt exists that the fire was the work of an
incendiary.

Salem Gazette, Jan. 19, 1869.

A barn belonging to Mr. Abel Jones [formerly John
Conant’s] was burned on Saturday night, lOth. inst., with 1

several tons of hay, two heifers, one swine, and about eighty i

fowls. As no one had been to the barn after five of that 1

evening, and the fire occurred between nine and ten, it is ^

surmised that it was the work of an incendiary, as tracks I

and matches were found in the yard the next day. Had it ]
not been for timely assistance of the neighbors his house j
would have been burned. Mr. Jones had retired when the |
fire was discovered, but had time to rescue a horse and i

several cows. As there was no insurance, the loss falls ^

heavily on Mr. Jones, who is a hard working man. This is 1

the only fire that has occurred for several years in this town, \

which fact may be attributed to our not having an engine. j

When there are fire engines and companies to work them |

there has to be an occasional fire for the fun of working the |

engine. It is said by those who know that engine houses in |

country towns are places of resort for persons whose morals 'j

are not made better by meeting there.

Salem Gazette, Dec. 20, 1870. 1

(

Fire. — On Tuesday [Feb. 16, 1874], the house [formerly \
Wm. Preston Dodge’s] near the poor farm, owned by Mr. 1
Dudley Perkins, and occupied by Mr. Edward Hall, was de-
stroyed by fire. Mr. and Mrs. Hall were both away, when j

the fire broke out in the L. The children were in the other ||
part of the house, and knew nothing about it, till the next
neighbor, Mrs. Dudley Q. Perkins, seeing the flames, came |
to give them the alarm. The house and furniture were \
totally destroyed, without insurance. The loss falls very |
heavily on Mr. Hall, whose means are not large ; but his
townsmen are doing something to repair the loss. I

Salem Gazette, Feb. 24, 1874.

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

At two o’clock on Thursday morning [Jan. ii, 1877],
house and barn of Mr. James Manning, on the Ipswich road,
were consumed by fire, the origin of which is not known.
Nearly everything was consumed, including five or six cows,
one hog, hay, potatoes, and other produce; and there was a
loss of over $3000, partly covered by insurance. The fire
originated in the barn, and the lowing of the cattle awak-
ened Mrs. Manning, who aroused her husband, he going
directly to the barn, but too late to prevent the spread of
the fire and save the house. He immediately returned to
the house and advised his wife that no time must be lost in
preparing the family for removal. They were all, seven
children, safely got out, and with the assistance of the neigh-
bors, most of the furniture was saved. Two horses, a yoke
of oxen, two or three cows, and some of the wagons, were
also saved.

Salem Gazette, Jan. 16, 1877.

During the year 1878, Fred A. Elliott’s barn on Mill St.
was destroyed by fire. It was formerly the old “Gould house,”
but had been used for years as a barn.

See Gould’s Genealogy, pp. 33-4.

On Monday night [Sept. 26, 1880], the cider mill of John
A. Peterson was destroyed by fire. It was a mill run by
steam power and large quantities of apples were made into
cider there. It was situated on the Middleton road in the
west part of the town. A considerable quantity of vinegar,
we hear, was included in the loss. This fire was at the Lo-
renzo P. Towne place, for many years the most extensive
cider manufactory in the town.

Salem Gazette, Oct. i, 1880.

About 6 o’clock on the morning of June 6, 1882, the old
Foster-Horne house, situated on the westerly side of Rowley
Bridge St., and near the old Middleton road, was entirely
destroyed by an incendiary fire. It was owned at the time
by John A. Peterson and family.

Town records.

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

The largest fire which has visited this town in six years
occurred Monday evening, March 17, [1884], the property
consumed being the Shepard house, so called, shop, and barn,
owned by John G. Ryder. The blaze was discovered at about
half past six P. M., and started in the barn. The cause is
unknown and the loss variously estimated at from $2000 to
$5000. The house, a barn, and shoemaker’s shop were all
consumed. A horse, several tons of hay, carriages, and con-
tents of the shop, were also burned. The town has no fire
apparatus whatever, and its want was severely felt.

Salem Gazette, Mar. 21, 1884.

On the evening of Oct. 21, 1885, a sheep barn, owned at
the time by Eugene C. Hussey, was destroyed by fire. It
had been used for several years by Ariel H. Gould, butcher,
and stood in the field at the rear of the slaughter-house,
on Main street. Cause of fire unknown. The loss was $700.
Insured for $500.

Town records.

Fire broke out in the residence of Isaac M. Woodbury in
the village last Sunday afternoon, Dec. 13, [1885], probably
from a defective chimney. The citizens rallied, and, form-
ing a line with buckets, managed, after a hard struggle, in ]
extinguishing the flames. Word was sent to Salem for aid, as
a general conflagration was feared, but before help was sent, j
the fire was out. It is thought Mr. Woodbury will lose about !
$1000 on his house and $500 on his furniture. His property ;
is insured. ;

Salem Gazette, Dec. 16, 1885.

There was a fire at the farm-house on the T. W. Peirce
farm Tuesday, March 8, 1887, soon after noon. It is under-
stood to have caught from one of the stoves in some way,
and burned up through the partition into the attic before it
was discovered. It was extinguished by the men on the farm,
with the aid of buckets. The loss is estimated at between
$200 and $300.

Salem Gazette, March ii, 1887.

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

A severe thunder storm passed over town early Wednesday
morning [Aug. 20, 1890], between 3.30 and 4. 30 o’clock. A
barn belonging to Mr. Alden Peabody, situated on the top of
“River Hill,” on the road to Danvers, was struck by lightning
and burnt to the ground. Almost as soon as it was struck it
was all ablaze, the quantity of dry hay (about twenty-five
tons) taking fire immediately. William Fuller, in the em-
ploy of Mr. Peabody, slept in a room of the house next to
the barn and was up and in to the barn in a very few minutes,
setting free seven of the cows before Mr. Peabody arrived.
They together succeeded in rescuing the remainder of the
cows, two horses, a load of hay, which was upon the wagon
unloaded in the barn, the mowing and raking machines, but
most of the smaller tools were lost. Two large hogs in the
barn cellar were roasted to death, there not being time to save
them. A carriage house and a corn barn were also burned.
The carriages however were saved. Men from the Peirce and
Pingree farms, also the neighbors, responded quickly with
buckets and hand force pumps, with which they succeeded in
keeping the end of the house next to the barn well wet, thus
saving the entire structure. The house is situated but a short
distance from the barn and other buildings burned, and had
it not been for the favorable direction of the wind from the
house, and the valuable aid of the men, the house undoubt-
edly would have been burned also. The barn was insured
for about one-half its value, but there was none on the con-
tents. The loss will be severe, but his many friends are do-
ing all they can to make it as light to be borne as possible.

Salem Gazette, Aug. 22, 1890.

Mr. J. Albert Blaisdell’s barn, situated in the east part of
the town, was burned to the ground on Wednesday afternoon,
Oct. I, the fire having been set by a tramp or a crazy man
that makes his home in the woods nearby.

Mr. Blaisdell’s family were away at the time, and Mr. Blais-
dell had been at home but a short time, when he saw a man
approaching the house. Mr. Blaisdell went out to meet him
and to inquire his errand, when he turned and ran for the
woods. Scarcely had he reached the woods when it was ob-
served that the barn was afire.

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

Mr. Blaisdell rushed to it and succeeded in setting at lib-
erty his oxen, which were tied up inside ; he also saved his
pig. The cows, which were out at pasture, were not injured.
About twenty tons of hay, a number of carriages and farm
wagons, farming implements and tools were burned.

On Sunday last, Sept. 28, meadows belonging to Miss Lydia
Perkins were burned over and a large number of cords of
wood belonging to Mr. Mason Curtis, of Marblehead, near the
Blaisdell farm, had been burned. In all, eight fires, includ-
ing meadows, pastures and wood, had been set by this tramp,
who makes good his escape each time.

Mr. Blaisdell thinks the tramp proposed to fire his house
also at the time of burning the barn, and was on his errand
when met by Mr. Blaisdell, as he came from the barn he had
fired.

Mr. Blaisdeirs sympathizing friends have raised about $150.
for the building of a new barn, and to recover partially his
loss of carriages and other things.

It is hoped the crazy nuisance will be captured and brought
to terms.

Salem Gazette, Oct. 3, 1890.

The old homestead of the late Nehemiah Perkins in the
east part of the town, was burned to the ground on Friday
evening, Jan. 16, 1891. The house was unoccupied, Mr. B.
Austin Perkins being the last occupant. This was the early
home of Mr. John W. Perkins, principal of Dummer Academy,
and Mr. Albert C. Perkins, a successful teacher in Brooklyn,
N. Y. The fire is supposed to have been of incendiary origin
as it was first seen burning between the wall and outside
boarding of the house. In a short time a large company
had gathered, but no attempts were made at rescuing the
house, as it was well afire, and being an old structure it was
quickly consumed. Mr. B. Austin Perkins, with his sister
Lydia, have been living in a house near by, since the old one
has been unfit for habitation.

Salem Gazette, Jan. 20, 1891.

The barn of Mr. B. Austin Perkins, situated in the east
part of the town, was burned to the ground Saturday night.

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

Jan. 24. The fire is supposed to have been of incendiary ori-
gin. The barn was full of hay, which was entirely consumed.
The cattle and horses were set free and driven out of the barn
before it burned, by the incendiaries. The barn was near the
old house, which was burned only a week ago. Attempts
have been made to fire the small building in the field near by,
but as yet have proved unsuccessful. The barn burned was
a comparatively new building, and the loss will be greatly felt.
Who the incendiaries are is the question, and one not easily
answered.

Salem Gazette, Jan. 30, 1891.

B. Austin Perkin’s saw mill, situated in the east part of the
town, was burned on Monday evening of last week [Feb. 22,
1891]. This is the third fire of property belonging to Mr.
Perkins, and the incendiary is still at large. Mr. Perkins had
just got the mill in running order and expected to do some
sawing soon.

Salem Gazette, Feb. 27, 1891.

The old Blaisdell house, situated in the east part of the
town, was burned Wednesday night, April i, by a fire of in-
cendiary origin. Mr. Blaisdell’s barn was burned last Fall,
the house had just been vacated by Mr. Blaisdell and family,
they having purchased and just moved into the Proctor Per-
kins estate in the west part of the town. Mr. Blaisdell’s in-
terest in the house was one-half, the other half being owned
by Mr. Curtis of Marblehead. This is the fifth fire in that
part of the town within a short time — a house, barn and saw
mill belonging to Mr. B. Austin Perkins, and this house and
barn of Mr. Blaisdell. The incendiary is still at large, noth-
ing being obtained sufficient for conviction as yet.

Salem Gazette, April 2, 1891.

The most destructive fire that has visited town for many
years, in fact the largest one since the buildings at what was
formerly the Ryder place, now owned by Mr. Augustus W.
Smith, on Main street, were burned, broke out at about 4.30
P. M., Friday last [Feb. 26, 1892], in the two story wooden
building in the rear of Mrs. Elizabeth Perley’s residence on
High street.

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

How the fire originated is unknown, more than that it
caught from the chimney — some defect or overheating. The
fire, it is claimed, was first seen in the second story, after
which smoke was seen issuing from the roof. When the
alarm was given, the Congregational church and the Centre
Grammar school bells were rung, the people were ready to
respond, and in comparatively short time a large crowd of
men, women and children were at the scene of destruction.
The hook and ladder company responded, and all the appa-
ratus was brought into valuable service, though in many ways
it proved faulty.

It was at first thought the barn, which was near the burn-
ing building, might be saved, and efforts were made to save
that as well as the dwelling house in front. The wells in the
neighborhood were all drawn from and those who were not
on the buildings turned to and pumped and carried water,
all the available pails and buckets being used. As the fire
increased, it was seen that the barn must surely go, and all
the force was put onto the house and dwelling occupied by
Mr. Dwight Boyden at the east of the barn. The roofs were
covered with sail-cloth and kept thoroughly wet down, and
only by the herculean efforts of the entire force were the two
dwelling houses saved from the flames.

The heat was intense and the sparks were flying thick and
fast. Fortunately no wind was blowing at the time of the
fire. Had this been the case all efforts would have been of
no avail.

At about 6, P. M. the building was all ablaze and the barn
took fire. A portion of the hay and wood was saved ; the
cow also was taken out, and so were other things of' small
value.

Nearly all the furniture from Mrs. Perley’s house was taken
out, the greater part being removed to Mr. Andrew Peirce’s,
while other portions were piled up out doors or taken into
neighboring houses.

Mr. I. N. Averill’s house near by was imperilled at one
time. The roof was kept well wet and things were ready
to move at a moment’s notice. The building burned was
used for a wash house, laundry, storage and lodging, several
rooms being furnished for the latter purpose. Mr. Francis

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

H. Williams, who occupied a room on the top floor, lost all
all his belongings; Mr. E. K. Foster occupied rooms on the
second floor, and his loss is small. A lot of furniture belong-
ing to Miss Rebecca Conant, stored there, was burned ; also
a lot of wood the property of Mr. A. A. Conant.

This building was valued at about $1200, but was insured
for only $500, the barn being insured for $200. The total
loss will amount to more than $800, about eight tons of coal
being in the cellar. Insurance was placed in the Merrimac
Mutual Fire Insurance Co., of Andover. Both the buildings
were totally consumed.

After the fire was under control, the furniture and bedding
which were out doors were carried back into the house, more
or less scratched and muddied. The rest was brought back
Saturday.

The fire burned all night, and the coal burned several days.
Men were stationed as watchers at the ruins all Friday night
to see that no sparks were carried to the other buildings.

Salem Gazette, March i, 1892.

At 6.20, P. M. yesterday [June 21, 1894], the citizens were
aroused by the cry of fire. Mr. Job H. Frame, a brother of
G. Augustus Frame, whose house was on fire, rode to the
village and gave the alarm. The hook and ladder truck,
which is the only fire apparatus the town owns, was at once
brought out, and Mr. J. B. Poor’s horse attached, and with
C. A. S. Kneeland, C. W. Floyd, Luther Peabody and Albert
Lane were quickly conveyed to the scene about a mile distant.

The fire had burned through the roof, and it was found
impossible to save the house and the L. About two cords of
wood near the house, was quickly removed, and a sail-cloth
thrown over the wood and kept wet to prevent a shed and
barn from taking fire.

The men did all that was possible with the means at hand.
The furniture was all saved.

Mr. Frame had three large incubators in the cellar which
were damaged by removal. The house was totally destroyed.
The house was insured for $600; furniture $250, and the in-
cubators $75. The cause of the fire is unknown.

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

As the janitor of the Centre school rang the bell to arouse
the people, the tongue dropped out, and he was able to give
only a few strokes.

Salem Gazette, June 27, 1894.

For the first time in many months Topsfield was visited by
fire. It was discovered on the roof of Augustus W. Smith’s
house, near the Methodist church, by Henry M. Andrews,
who saw the smoke coming from the roof and under the
eaves, at 4.10, P. M. Saturday [March 23, 1895]. The alarm
was quickly given by the people in the street, and Mr. Fer-
guson managed to effect an entrance to the bell rope in the
church and the continuous ringing of the bell warned the
citizens that all available help was wanted in behalf of some
unfortunate citizen. The fire caught from light matter, such
as hay and chips, being placed in an open fire place, the draft
carrying back the sparks to the roof near the chimney. * * *
From the time the alarm was rung in until the fire was out
only 45 minutes had elapsed. A place near the chimney was
burned through and much water was thrown upon the roof,
that going below did much damage to the chambers beneath.

Topsfield Townsman, March 30, 1895.

A few minutes before twelve o’clock last Friday [July 31,
1896], the roof of the Frank E. Batchelder house in the south
part of the town was discovered to be on fire. A spark from
the chimney probably was the cause. The shingles were old
and the flames spread rapidly. Fortunately John H. Potter
with his crew of carpenters were less than a hundred feet
away, working on the cow barn Mr. Batchelder has recently
erected, and siezing their ladders they soon had water on the
roof. * The pump is located in the basement of the house
and the neighbors appearing in answer to the alarm, manned
a line of water buckets which after a hard fight finally sub-
dued the flames. The old oaken boards burned slowly and
perhaps to that cause more than anything else can be attrib-
uted the saving of the .house. The fire was declared out at
12.35 o’clock. One side of the roof was burned completely
off. The damage is estimated to be about $250. Nearly all
the furniture was removed from the house, completely filling

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

the front yard and as cool heads carried out the various arti-
cles but little damage resulted.

Topsfield Townsman, Aug. 8, 1896.

Last Saturday evening [Dec. 17, 1898], a little after 7
o’clock, William L. Batchelder, who lives in the south part of
the town [Rowley Bridge St.], went to his barn to feed his
cattle for the night, hanging his lantern on a nail in one of
the beams, as he had done for years. He then went to feed
the cattle, when to his surprise the lantern dropped to the
floor and a sheet of flame burst from the haymow. Mr.
Batchelder called for his hired man and the two tried to ex-
tinguish the flames. Finding it impossible, they began to re-
lease the live stock, which consisted of horned cattle and
four horses. The barn filled so quickly with smoke, that only
13 cows and the horses were saved, while the other 9 cows
perished in the flames. The house which is only 50 feet
from the barn, was in great danger. Blankets and canvasses
were placed upon it and a large amount of water poured over
them, which was the means of saving the house. The large
wagon house took fire; also the grain house a short distance
away, making three buildings destroyed.

The barn contained 50 tons of hay and the grain house
eight tons of grain. The two large henneries, about 10 feet
away, were saved. Mr. Batchelder carried an insurance of
$1500 on the barn, $400 on hay and grain, $400 on horses
and $500 on cows. He places his loss at nearly $2000 on
tools, wagons, machines, etc. He will rebuild at once. [Re-
built in 1899.]

Topsfield Townsman, Dec. 24, 1898.

[July 19, 1900.] During the shower yesterday afternoon at
2.15 o’clock lightning struck the barn of A. W. Stevens,
which is situated about one mile from the village. The fire
was first discovered by Mr. Stevens, who was at home alone,
and word was sent to the village by Samuel Conley, a neigh-
bor, and the whistles on both shoe shops gave the alarm.
The hook and ladder truck and fire extinguisher from all
parts of the town were soon on the scene.

FIRES IN TOPSFIELD.

The house, which was only 23 feet from the barn, took fire,
and only the heroic work of the fire department and citizens
of the town saved it from total destruction. All the furniture
was removed from the house.

The barn contained five tons of hay, and ten cords of wood,
which stood alongside the barn, was also burned. The work-
shop, which contained a large collection of antique articles,
was also destroyed. The damage done amounted to $2000,
and the insurance $3000. Dr. Gibson was soon on the scene
and attended to Mrs. Stevens, who was prostrated ; and to
Charles Leach, who was overcome by work and heat. Andy
Jackman and C. W. Floyd were blistered on their arms and
shoulders by the fire. Great credit is due to the citizens for
their prompt and active work in saving the house.

Salem Evening News, July 20, 1900.

On Sunday night, 26th [June, 1859], about 12 o’clock,
an unoccupied dwelling house in Topsfield near the Boxford
line, belonging to Asa Pingree, Esq. was discovered to be on
fire, and an alarm was given in the neighborhood. Mr.
Isaac Hale, who resides in the neighborhood, and his family,
left their house for a short time to witness the conflagration,
and during their absence a gold watch was stolen therefrom.
The watch was soon after offered for sale in Boston and
recovered, and the affair is now in the hands of the police.

Salem Gazette, June 28, 1859.

ERRATUM.

Page 17, Charles G. Cotton, Haverhill St. See also page
75. The Benjamin Bixby house, was located about sixty-five
feet southeasterly from the present Cotton house. It was
destroyed by an incendiary fire about midnight, on Sunday,
June 26, 1859. The Humphrey Perley house, which stood
some three hundred feet southeasterly from the present
Cotton house, was built by Humphrey Perley, in 1844. It
was destroyed by fire in May, 1867.

JOSEPH SMITH.
The Mormon Prophet.

HYRUM SMITH.

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD, WITH SOME
ACCOUNT OF THE SMITH FAMILY.

BY JOSEPH F. SMITH, JR., OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

In looking over the early history of the United States, one
cannot help but see the truthfulness of the words of the
Apostle Paul, that “the powers that be are ordained of God.”
I firmly believe that through the inspiration of the Lord the
first settlers of America were moved upon to take up their
journey from the old world and make their homes in this
land of freedom. Generally they were of humble birth, yet
honest, industrious and brave ; men, such as the Lord would
choose to cope with the many problems which are always to
be met and overcome in the settlement of a new country or
in the framing of a new nation.

Among these early settlers was a Robert Smith who immi-
grated in the year 1638. Beginning life in the new world in
a humble way he gradually won the esteem of his neighbors,
and through his industry and integrity was able to gather
around him some of the comforts of life. He married a
Mary French and moved to that part of Rowley, in Essex
County, which afterward became the township of Boxford,
where he purchased two hundred eight acres of land. Robert
was known among his neighbors as a quiet unassuming man,
devoted to the welfare of the settlement, and was ever ready
to lend a helping hand to the needy. He was the father of
ten children, namely : Thomas; Mary, born October 28, 1658,
married John Towne ; Phebe, born August 26, 1661, married
Jacob Towne; Ephraim, born October 29, 1663, married

(87)

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD.

Mary Ramsdell ; Samuel, born January 26, 1666, married
Rebecca Curtis; Amye, born August 16, 1668, married
Joseph Towne; Sarah, born June 25, 1670, died August 28,
1673; Nathaniel, born January 29, 1674, married Rebecca
Symonds; Mariah, born December 18, 1677, married Peter
Shumway. In his will dated August 7, 1693 — twenty-three
days before his death — Robert appointed his wife Mary and
third son, Samuel, his executors. Later by request of his
mother and the children, Samuel became the sole adminis-
trator of his father’s estate. He received a letter of adminis-
tration from Judge Jonathan Corwin, October 3, 1698.

After the estate was divided, Samuel moved from Boxford
to Topsfield where he became an influential member of soci-
ety and held several offices of trust. He married Rebecca,
daughter of John Curtis, January 25, 1707. He is sometimes
credited with a previous marriage, but whether this is the
same Samuel has not been proved with any degree of cer-
tainty. The children of Samuel and Rebecca were : Phebe,
Mary, Samuel, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Hephzibah, Robert, Su-
sannah and Hannah. His son Samuel was born January 3,
1714, in Topsfield. He married (first) Priscilla Gould,
daughter of Zaccheus Gould of that village. Their children
were: Priscilla, Samuel, Vashti, Susannah, and Asahel. After
the death of his wife, Samuel married (second) Priscilla
Gould, a cousin to his first wife. Samuel was a very promi-
nent man in the community and served the people the greater
part of his life. Among the many positions he held are the
following: — He was grand juryman in 1760; in 1770, road
supervisor ; in 1779, 1780, 1783, 1784, and 1785 he was on the
committee of safety; from 1771 to 1777 and in 1781 and
1782 he was assessor and selectman in Topsfield, declining
the honor in 1783; he was moderator in 1758, 1759, 1760,
1762, 1764, 1766, 1767, 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, 1773,
1774* I775» 1778, 1779, 1780, and 1783; recog. of debts in
1777, 1778, 1779, 1780, 1782 and 1783; representative to
the General Court (H. of R.) in 1764, 1765, 1766, 1767,
1768, 1769, 1770, 1772, 1777, 1778, and 1781; town clerk in
1774, 1776 and 1777; delegate to the Provincial Congress at
Concord, October ii, 1774 and again January 19, 1775 and
he was on the tea committee (chairman) in 1773. He was

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD. 89

best known as “Captain” Samuel Smith, receiving his military
title from service in the militia.

He died November 14, 1785, leaving an estate valued at
;^544-I2-8. The Salem Gazette of November 22, 1785, in
recording the fact of his death made mention of him in the
following worthy terms:

“Died. — At Topsfield, on Monday the 14th instant, Samuel
Smith, Esq., aged 72. — So amiable and worthy a character
as he evidently appeared, both in public and private, will
render the memory of him ever precious. For a number of
years he represented the town in the General Court, where he
was esteemed a man of integrity and uprightness. His use-
fulness among those with whom he was more immediately
conversant was eminent. He was a sincere friend to the
liberties of his country, and a strenuous advocate for the
doctrine of Christianity.

“The memory of the Just is blessed.”

Asael, son of Samuel, was born in Topsfield, March 7, 1744.
His mother died shortly after his birth and he was left in the
care of his father’s second wife, Priscilla. The greater part
of his early life was spent in Topsfield. February 12, 1767,
he married Mary Duty, of Windham, New Hampshire, and
took up his residence in that place about the year 1772.
From there he moved to Dunbarton and from there he went
to Derryfield, now the city of Manchester.

During the Revolution he followed the example of his wor-
thy father and cast his lot on the side of the patriots, serving
in the American army during the war. After the death of
his father, in 1785, Asael returned to Topsfield again to make
his home on the paternal estate. He lived in the old home
about one mile north of the town, where a number of his
children were born, notably, Joseph, father of the “Mormon”
Prophet. It is doubtful if Asael would have again left the
place had he not aroused the prejudices of his neighbors.
He was a man of very liberal views, with thoughts in advance
of his time. He was noted for having opinions of his own
which he would not yield to bigotry nor opposition. Some
of his children were baptized in the Congregational church at
Topsfield; but in his own religious views he was somewhat
of a Universalist, and held to the truths that in x^merica, all

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD.

men should have free and equal religious liberty. It is com-
monly reported in the family that he brought the ill-will of
his neighbors upon his head because of his too liberal reli-
gious views. It is well known that he was open and explicit
and always expressed his honest opinions whether they were
in accord with prevailing views or not.

It has been said of him that one of his shoulders was high-
er than the other, but this is a mistake. He was not deformed
in any way, but while a small child his neck was severely
burned which caused the cords to contract, making his neck
stiff ; and from this he received the undignified nickname of '
“Crook-neck” Smith, a term applied to him by his opposers.
Nehemiah Cleaveland, in his address delivered at the two-
hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of Topsheld,
speaking of Asael, said: “He was so free in his opinions on
religious subjects that some regarded his sentiments as more
distorted than his neck.” But fortunately some of his writ-
ings in which he expressed his views have been handed down
to us, and although his religious opinions were not always in
accord with public opinion or belief, yet he was honest in his
convictions and held aloof from all denominations simply
because he could not reconcile their teachings with the Scrip-
tures and his reason. In the spring of 1791 he removed from
Topsfield never to return, and again took up his abode, tem-
porarily, in the “Granite State,” afterwards moving to Tun-
bridge in Vermont.

Asael was somewhat gifted with the pen and did consider-
able writing in his day. He was affable in manner, posses-
sing a quaint and genial humor and a fund of anecdote.
While living in Topsfield he thus expressed to the selectmen
the amount and nature of his taxable property: —

“I have two poles tho’ one is poor,

I have three cows & want five more,

I have no horse. But fifteen sheep.

No more than these this year I keep,

Stears, that’s two years old, one pair.

Two calves I have, all over hair.

Three heffers two years old, I own
One heffer calf that’s poorly grone.

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD.

My Land is acres Eighty two

Which sarch the Record youle find true,

And this is all I have in store,

ril thank you if youle Tax no more.

Asael Smith.”

The following is an extract from one of his letters, written
after his departure from Topsfield, to a friend in that town:

“For my part I am so willing to trust the government of
the world in the hands of the Supreme Ruler of Universal
Nature, that I do not at present wish to try to wrest it out of
His hands, and I have so much confidence in His abilities to
teach our Senators wisdom that I do not think it worth while
for me to interpose from the little stock of knowledge that
He has favored me with, in the affair, either one way or the
other. He has conducted us through a glorious Revolution
and has brought us into the promised land of peace and lib-
erty; and I believe that He is about to bring all the world
in the same beatitude in His own time and way; which, al-
though His way may appear never so inconsistant to our
blind reason, yet may be perfectly consistant with His de-
signs. And I believe that the stone is now cut out of the
mountain, without hands, spoken of by Daniel, and has smit-
ten the image upon his feet, by which the iron, the clay, the
brass, the silver and the gold, (viz.) all the monarchical and
ecclesiastical tyranny will be broken to pieces and become
as the chaff of the summer thrashing floor; the wind shall
carry them all away, and there shall be no place found for
them.”

But perhaps the sentiments and character of the man are
best depicted in his address to his family which is here pro-
duced in full : —

“A few words of advice which I leave to you, my dear wife
and children, whom I expect ere long to leave:

My Dear Selfs — I know not what leisure I shall have at the
hour of my death to speak to you, and as you all know that
I am not free in speech, especially when sick or sad ; and
therefore now do speak my heart to you, and would wish you

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD.

to hear me speaking to you as long as you live (when my
tongue shall be mouldered to dust in the silent tomb) in this
my writing which I divide among you all.

And first to you, my dear wife, I do with all the strength
and power that is in me, thank you for your kindness and
faithfulness to me, beseeching God who is the husband of the
widow, to take care of you and not to leave you nor forsake
you, or never suffer you to leave nor forsake Him, nor His
ways. Put your whole trust solely in Him, He never did nor
never will forsake any that trusted in Him. One thing, how-
ever, I would add, if you should marry again, remember
what I have undergone by a stepmother, and do not estrange
your husband from his own children or kindred, lest you
draw on him and on yourself a great sin. So I do resign you
into the everlasting arms of the great Husband of husbands,
the Lord Jesus Christ.

And now my dear children let me pour out my heart to
you and speak first to you of immortality in your souls.
Trifle not in this point; the soul is immortal; you have to
deal with an infinite Majesty; you go upon life and death;
therefore in this point be serious. Do all to God in a serious
manner ; when you think of Him, speak of Him, pray to Him,
or in any way make your addresses to His great Majesty, be
in good earnest. Trifle not with His name nor with His at-
tributes, nor call Him to witness to any thing but is absolute
truth; nor then, but when sound reason on serious consider-
ation requires it. And as to religion, I would not wish to
point out any particular form to you ; but first I would wish
you to search the Scriptures and consult sound reason and
see if they (which I take to be two witnesses that stand by
the God of the whole earth) are not sufficient to evince to
you that religion is a necessary theme. Then I would wish
you to study the nature of religion, and see whether it con-
sists in outward formalities, or in the hidden man of the
heart; whether you can by outward forms, rites and ordin-
ances, save yourselves, or whether there is a necessity of
your having help from any other hand than your own. If
you find that you stand in need of a Savior, Christ saith :
‘Look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the earth;’
then look to Him, and if you find from Scripture and sound

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD.

reason that Christ hath come into the world to save sinners,
then examine what it was that caused Him to leave the cen-
ter of consummate happiness to suffer as He did — whether it
was to save mankind because they were sinners and could not
save themselves; or, whether He came to save mankind be-
cause they had repented of their sins, so as to be forgiven on
the score of their repentance. If you find that He came to
save sinners merely because they were such, then try if there
is any other so great that He cannot save him ; but mind
that you admit no others as evidences but the two that God
hath appointed, viz., Scripture and sound reason. And if
these two witness that you are one whit better by nature than
the worst heathen in the darkest corner of the deserts of Ara-
bia, then conclude that God hath been partial towards you
and hath furnished you with a better nature than others ;
and that consequently. He is not just to all mankind. But if
these two witnesses testify to you that God is just to all and
His tender mercies are over all His works ; then believe them,
and if you can believe that Christ came to save sinners and
not the righteous Pharisees, or self-righteous ; that sinners
must be saved by the righteousness of Christ alone, without
mixing any of their own righteousness with His, then you
will see that He can as well save all as any. And there is no
respect of persons with God, who will have all mankind to
be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, viz., ^that
there is one God and one Mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to
be testified in due time.’ And when you believe this you will
enter into His rest, and when you enter into His rest you will
know what that rest is, and not before. And having gotten
this evidence that God is true, be still adding to your evidence
and enjoy your present assurance. Do all to your God as to
your father, for His love is ten thousand times greater
towards you than ever any earthly father’s could be to his
offspring.

In the next place strive for those graces, most which con-
cern your places and conditions and strive most against those
failings which most threaten you. But above everything
avoid a melancholy disposition, that is a humor that admits
of any temptation and is capable of any impression and dis-

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD.

temper; shun as death this humor which' will work you to
all unthankfulness against God, unlovingness to men and un-
naturalness to yourselves and one another.

Do not talk and make a noise to get the name of forward
men, but do the thing and do it in a way that is fair and
honest, which you can live and die by and rise and reign by ;
therefore, my children, do more than you talk of, in point of
religion; satisfy your own consciences in what you do; all
men you shall never satisfy, nay, some will not be satisfied
though they be convinced.

As for Your Calling — Any honest calling will honor you if
you honor that. It is better to be a rich cobbler than a poor
merchant; a rich farmer than a poor preacher; and never
be discouraged though sometimes your schemes should not
succeed according to your wishes.

Persevere in the way of well-doing and you may hope for
success. For myself (who had never your parts nor helps),
I never found anything too hard for me in my calling, but
discouragement and unbelief. If I was discouraged and did
not believe I could do a thing, I never could ; therefore, when
you think anything is too hard for you, do not undertake it.

As to Your Company — Abandon all infectious, self-serving
companions ; when once you have found them false, trust
them no more. Sort with such as are able to do or receive
good. Solomon gives you the best counsel for this in many
places. Read the Proverbs and remember him in this. For-
sake not an old friend; be friendly and faithful to your
friends. Never trouble nor trust friends unless there be a
necessity, and lastly be long in closing with friends and loth
to lose them upon experience of them.

As to Your Marriages — I do not think it worth while to
say much about them, for I believe God hath created the
persons for each other and that nature will find its own.

But for Your Children — Make it your chiefest work to
bring them up in the ways of virtue that they may be useful
in their generation. Give them if possible a good education ;
if nature hath made no difference do you make none in your
affections, countinances nor portions ; partiality this way be-
gets envy, hatred, strife and contention.

And as for Yourselves Within Yourselves — My desire hath

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD.

been to carry an even hand towards you all and I have
labored to reduce you as near as I could, all circumstances
considered, to an equality; and, therefore, my last request
and charge is, that you will live together in an undivided
bond of love. You are many of you, and if you join together
as one man, you need not want anything. What counsel,
what comfort, what money, what friends may you not help
yourselves unto, if you will all as one contribute your aids.

Wherefore, my dear children, I pray, beseech, and adjure
you by all the relations and dearness that hath ever been be-
twixt us and by the heart-rending pangs of a dying father
whose soul hath been ever bound in the bundle of life with
yours, that you know one another. Visit as you may each
other. Comfort, counsel, relieve, succor, help and admonish
one another; and, while your mother lives, meet her, if pos-
sible, once every year. When she is dead, pitch on some
other place, if it may be your elder brother’s house ; or if
you cannot meet, send to and hear from each other yearly
and oftener if you can ; and when you have neither father
nor mother left, be so many fathers and mothers to each
other, so you shall understand the blessings mentioned in the
133 Psalm.

As to Your Estates — Be not troubled that you are below
your kindred ; get more wisdom, humility and virtue and you
are above them, only do this. Deal with your hearts to
make them less ; begin low, join together to help one another ;
rest upon the promises which are many and precious this
way. Love mercy and have mercy on yourselves and one
another, and I know, I know, I say and I am confident in it,
that if you will trust God in His own way He will make com-
fortable provisions for you. Make no more objections but
trust Him.

For the public — Bless God that you live in a land of lib-
erty and bear yourselves dutifully and conscionably towards
the authority under which you live. See God’s providence
in the appointment of the Federal Constitution and hold
union and order precious jewels. And for the church of
Christ; neither set her above her Husband nor below her
children; give her that honor, obedience and respect that is
her due. And if you will be my children and heirs of my

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD.

comfort in my dying age, be neither anothers nor factions of
any party or faction or novelty; it is true that this is not a
rising way, but it is a free, fair, comfortable way for a man to
follow his own judgement without wavering to either hand.
I make no doubt but you will hear divers opinions concern-
ing me both before and after I shall sleep in silence; but do
not be troubled at that. I did what in my circumstances
seemed best for me for the present ; however, the event hath
not in some points answered my expectations ; yet I have
learned to measure things by another rule than events and
satisfy myself in this that I did all for the best as I thought,
and if I had not so much foresight as some others I cannot
help it.

Sure am I, my Savior, Christ, is perfect, and never will fail
in one circumstance. To Him I commit your souls, bodies,
estates, names, characters, lives, deaths and all, and myself,
waiting when He shall change my vile body and make it like
His own most glorious body. And wish to leave to you
everything I have in this world but my faults, and them I
take with me to the grave, there to be buried in everlasting
oblivion; but leaving my virtues, if ever I had any, to revive
and live in you, Amen; so come Lord Jesus; come quickly.
Amen.

The above was written April lO, 1799, and left for my
dearly beloved wife and children to view after my decease.”

The original copy of this article, which is in a well pre-
served condition, is now in the possession of the Smith family.
It was read and well understood by Asael’s family many years
before his death and no doubt had a great influence over
them in their actions for good.

Asael was devotedly attached to his wife, his life-long com-
panion, who survived him. The latter years of his life were
spent at the home of his son Silas in Stockholm, St. Law-
rence County, New York, where he died October 31, 1830,
over 86 years of age. In stature he was tall, his body was
well proportioned and powerful and he was capable of hand-
ling with ease two ordinary men.

• T 3^14’. ••••.. p;s.^r.-vi •■ .... ;.. :-. - ^., ••_- ... • -- .•••

, ? :::g. '■ ■ ‘ ■:■' -;-.’.;'-

rv. «^:v, ■••... -■ -.

(ft *.;•«

•■''■' ■ •’i^^;’** - .-• ',s '■■•»' 'i^if'-ii^.

^■■' ^ -7'yi

ks#v..v^::-n fe%-" -/ ‘ -^A-’-

..aE .,

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD.

The children of Asael and Mary were :

Jesse, born April 20, 1760, in Topsfield. When his
father’s family moved to the West, Jesse remained in Ver-
mont. He married Hannah Peabody and had the following
children : —

.Benjamin, b. May 2, 1793.

Eliza, b. March 9, 1795.

Ira, b. January 30, 1797.

Harry, b. April i, 1799.

Harriet, b. April 8, 1801.

Stephen, b. May 2, 1803.

Mary, b. May 4, 1805.

Catharine, b. July 13, 1807.

Royal, b. July 2, 1809.

Sarah, b. Dec. 16, 1812.

Priscilla, born in Topsfield, October 20, 1769; married
John C. Waller, August 24, 1796. Their children were: —

Calvin C., b. June 6, 1797.

Polly, b. Oct. 16, 1799; d. June 20, 1800.

Marshall S., b. March 18, 1801.

Royal H., b. Nov. 29, 1802.

Dudley C., b. Sept. 29, 1804.

Bushrod, b. Oct. 18, 1806.

Silas, b. January i, 1809.

Sally P., b. October 31, 1810.

JOPIN H., b. Sept. 9, 1812; d. Nov. 5, 1812.

Joseph, born in Topsfield, July 12, 1771. He moved with
his father to Tunbridge, Orange County, Vermont, in 1791,
and assisted in clearing a large farm of a heavy growth of
timber. In the year 1816, Joseph moved to the State of
New York and settled in Manchester, Ontario County. While
the family was living in New York, the Church of Jesus Christ

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD.

of Latter-day Saints was organized with six members on
April 6, 1830, and Joseph Smith, Jun. was chosen as its
President. This young man who, at this time, was but
twenty-four years of age, is generally spoken of as the founder
of “Mormonism”, but the Latter-day Saints, or members of
the Church of Jesus Christ, look upon him as an instrument
in the hands of God in restoring to the earth the pure doc-
trines of ancient Christianity, and to them he is a Prophet in
the fullest sense of the word, as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, etc.,
were to ancient Israel. His testimony is that through the
power of God he was enabled to translate from golden
plates, which were buried in the earth about the year 420 A.
D., a history of the ancient inhabitants of America. This
record is now known as the Book of Mormon ; by the same
power and authority the Church of Jesus Christ was organ-
ized with the same officers, gifts and blessings which charac-
terized the Church in the days of the Apostles.

Joseph Smith, Sen. was the first to accept the testimony of
his son and in the year 1833 he was called to the office of
Presiding Patriarch of the Church. He died in Nauvoo,
Hancock County, Illinois, September 14, 1840, of consump-
tion which was brought on through exposure and suffering
during the mobbings and persecutions of his people. The
Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum* (the latter succeed-
ing his father as Patriarch), when under the protection of Gov-
ernor Thomas Ford of Illinois and while waiting trial on the
charge of treason, were murdered in Carthage jail, June 27,
1844, by a mob disguised with painted faces. For what
reason these men were charged with treason has never been
made clear, unless, according to the ruling of Judge Austin
A. King, “they believed that the Kingdom of God would
eventually be set up upon the earth and break in pieces all
other nations, hence they were guilty of treason”. The
Church of Jesus Christ to-day numbers 300,000 souls.

Joseph (3) married Lucy, daughter of Solomon and Lydia
Mack, January 24, 1796. Their children were: —

Alvin, b. Feb, ii, 1798; d. Nov. 19, 1824.

Hyrum, b. Feb. 9, 1800; d. June 27, 1844.

^Grandfather of the author.

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD.

SOPHRONIA, b. May i6, 1803.

Joseph (Mormon Prophet), b. Dec. 23, 1805; d.
June 27, 1844.

Samuel Harrison, b. March 13, 1808; d. July 30,
1844.

Ephraim, b. March 13, 1810; d. March 24, 1810.

William, b. March 13, 1811.

Catherine, b. July 8, 1812.

-Don Carlos, b. March 25, 1816; d. Aug. 7, 1841.

Lucy, b. July i8, 1821.

Asael, born May 21, 1773, in Windham, Rockingham
County, N. H. He married Elizabeth Shellenger, March 21,
1 802. In 1 809 he settled in Stockholm, St. Lawrence County,
N. Y., and in 1836 removed to Kirtland, Ohio. He accepted
the mission of his nephew, Joseph, and became a member of the
“Mormon” Church in 1835. From that time his life was spent
in the ministry. He died July 21,1 848, at lowaville, Wapello
County, Iowa, while on his way to the Rocky Mountains.
His son Elias, a pioneer of the West, became probate judge
of Salt Lake County, Utah, in 1852 and served until 1882.

The children of Asael and Elizabeth Smith were: —

Elias, b. Sept. 6, 1804; d, June 24, 1888.

Emily, b. Sept, i, 1806; d. Aug. ii, 1893.

Jesse J., b. Oct. 6, 1808; d. July i, 1834.

Esther J., b. April 20, 1810; d. Oct. 31, 1856.

Mary J., b. April 29, 1813 ; d. March 1, 1878.

Julia P., b. March 6, 1815.

Martha, b. June 9, 1817.

Silas, b. June 6, 1822; d. June ii, 1822.

Mary, born June 4, 1775, married Isaac Pierce; their chil-
dren were : —

Eunice, b. April 29, 1799.

Miranda, b. June 17, 1803.

Horace, b. June 8, 1805.

John S., b. March 6, 1807.

lOO

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD.

Susan, b. June 20, 1809.

Mary, b. April 25, 181 1.

Laura, b. Feb. 8, 1814.

Eliza A., b. Sept. 2, 1817.

Samuel, born Sept. 15, 1777, married Frances Wilcox in
February, 1816. He died in March, 1830. His children
were : —

Charles, b. April 17, 1817.

Laura, b. 1819.

Horace J.

Elizabeth.

Sarah.

Silas, born October i, 1779, died September 13, 1839,
married, first, Ruth Stevens, January 29, 1805, by whom he
had the following children : —

Charles, b. Nov. ii, 1806; d. May 7, 1809.

Charity, b. April i, 1808.

Curtis S., b. Oct. 29, 1809; d. Sept. 23, 1861.

Samuel, b. Oct. 3, 1811 ; d. March 7, 1826.

Stephen, b. June 8, 1815.

Susan, b. Oct. 19, 1817.

Asael, b. Oct. 12, 1819; d. May 15, 1834.

He married, second, Mary Aikens. Their children were : —

Silas Sanford, b. Oct. 20, 1830.

John A., b. July 6, 1832 ; d. in 1838.

Jesse Nathaniel, b. Dec. 2, 1834.

Silas served during the war of i8i2>i5 as a captain of
militia. In the summer of 1835 he was baptized by his
nephew Hyrum Smith and became a member of the Church of
Jesus Christ (“Mormon”). He moved to Pittsfield, Illinois,
in the year 1838, where he died the following year nearly 60
years of age.

ASAHEL SMITH OF TOPSFIELD.

lOI

John, born July i6, 1781, in Derryfield (Manchester),
Rockingham County, N. H. In 1815 he married Clarissa
Lyman by whom he had three children, George Albert, born
June 26, 1817, died Sept, i, 1875; Caroline, born June 6,
1820, and John Lyman, born Nov. 17, 1823. He joined the
“Mormon” Church in 1832 and became one of its most active
workers. He was one of the pioneers of the West, having
crossed the^plains from Nauvoo, Illinois, to the Great Salt
Lake by ox team in the year 1847. He died in Salt Lake
City, Utah, May 23, 1854. His son, George A., was one of
the most renowned leaders of the “Mormon” Church.

Susannah, born May 18, 1783.

Stephen, born April 23, 1785 ; died April 23, 1802.

1 1

Sarah, born May 16, 1789, married Joseph Sanford, Oct.
15, 1809. She died May 27, 1824. Their children were : —

Martin, b. Sept 24, 1811 ; d. Nov. 24, 1817.

Charlotte, b. March 4, 1814.

Wm. Wallace, b. June 13, 1816.

John Lyman, b. May 20, 1818.

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

BY MISS H. ROSA TOWNE.

Among the emigrants mentioned in the early records of Ips-
wich, there were two bearing the surname Boreman. Thomas
seems to have been the first to come, and he made his per-
manent home there, becoming the ancestor of the Boardmans
in this vicinity. In a few years he was followed by Samuel,
who made a short stay in Ipswich, and finally settled in Weth-
ersfield, Connecticut.

The relation these two men bore to each other, and the
place in the mother country from which they came to make
their homes on these shores, have recently been found by
one* of the descendants of Samuel, who went to England for
this purpose.

Samuel had received a letter from his mother in England
soon after his settlement in Wethersfield, and this had been
preserved as a sacred relic, and handed down from one gen-
eration of his descendants to another unto the present day.
This letter had become somewhat obliterated by age, and
only the last letters of the name of the town could be de-
ciphered, but this gave a clue, by which, after much work
and trouble, the place was found.

It was learned that Thomas and Samuel were cousins, and
their home in England was Claydon, situated in the northern
part of the County of Oxford.

The first known ancestor of Thomas and Samuel is William
Boreman, who was living, 1525, in Banbury, an important
place a few miles south of Claydon, as many things seem to

*See Boardman Genealogy by Miss Charlotte Goldthviraite.

(102)

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

103

establish the fact that Thomas Boreman their great-grand-
father was his son. Thomas Boreman settled in Claydon
and his son William was their grandfather.

The history of Claydon is closely connected with that of
Banbury, which, with the surrounding region, is a very inter-
esting place to know about for many reasons. First of all, it
is the place so noted in nursery rhymes, and what child has
not been made familiar with the jingle, “Ride a cock-horse to
Banbury Cross, To see a fine lady upon a white horse,” etc.
How many ever thought that Banbury was a “really, truly
place,” as the children say, with its real “Cross,” and its
“Cakeshop,” which they visit “To see what Tommy can buy.”
According to the historian, all the Tommys from that far-
away period until now could have the privilege of going to
that cakeshop with their pennies to buy the much-prized
cakes, for he says, “The fame of Banbury cakes has contin-
ued to the present day ; a shop, which is considered the orig-
inal cakeshop, is still in existence, and the cakes are proba-
bly made in much the same way,” etc.

Banbury was the market town of the surrounding country,
and the noted Banbury Cross stood in the market-place of
the town. The ancient cross was taken down during the reign
of Queen Elizabeth, but was afterwards restored and may be
seen there at the present time.

This region was noted for its association with historic char-
acters. Dr. Franklin’s father lived in Banbury, and it was
from this place that he emigrated to New England in 1682.
A little to the northeast in Warwickshire, is Stratford-on-
Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare, and a few miles east
in Northamptonshire, was the home of George Washington’s
family. The manor house where his ancestors lived is there,
and over its door is the Washington Coat of Arms from which
our stars and stripes originated. A few miles to the north
in Warwickshire is Warwick Castle, the seat of Lord Brooke,
and just south of Banbury is Broughton Castle, the seat of
Lord Say and Seal, who was one of the most influential men
of his time. Lord Say and Lord Brooke are interesting char-
acters to us because of their connection with our colonial
history, being instrumental in founding the town which bears
their combined names, Saybrook, Conn.

104.

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

Thomas Boreman was baptized in Claydon, England, Oct.
1 8, i6oi. The family name was originally spelled Bowre-
man, and Lower, in his Dictionary of English Family Names,
says it was probably derived from an Anglo Saxon word
meaning bower or bedchamber, thus signifying that the
bearer was a “chamberlain of some great feudal household,
or one who was admitted to the private apartments and
councils of the Lord.” The name has since been variously
spelled, but in this country it seems to have followed the regu-
lar gradation of Boreman, Borman, Bordman, and Boardman.

The place and date of the marriage of Thomas Boreman,
and the family name of his wife Margaret, are not given, and
the exact date of his coming to New England is not known.
The records say he was made freeman by the General Court
of Massachusetts in 1634-5. His first grant of land in Ips-
wich was recorded in 1635. I'iis first house was built on
High Street now called East Street, and his near neighbor
was John Winthrop, jr., son of the Governor, and leader of the
Ipswich Colony. In course of time he came into possession
of several pieces of land.

He sold his house on High Street in 1647, spent the
closing years of his life on his farm, an island still called by
his name, Boardman’s Island, as is also the street and bridge
leading to it. The farm is thus described : — “An Island about
fifty and five acres of medow and upland, bounded on the
north and northeast by the Town River, and on the east by
a creek, parting it and an Island belonging to John Perkins
the Elder, and on the south a p’sell of Land formerly granted
to George Carr, and on the west the great creek called
Labour in vayne.”

Besides the “medow and upland” there was a salt marsh
and thatch ground, so called from the rushes that grew there
suitable for thatching houses. Provision was made by the
General Court that certain such grounds should “be for the
use of the whole town, to be improved for thatching houses”.
The early dwellings were roofed with thatch like those left in
the old homes in England, and which may be seen there
today in many places.

BANBURY CROSS OF THE PRESENT DAY.

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

105

Thomas Boreman held offices of trust, and his position in
the community may be gathered from the fact that he is
uniformly spoken of as Mr. Boreman, and his wife as M"'- or
Mistress, terms of distinction applied to but few in those
days. Some idea of his standing with regard to the value of
his property is shown by the division of Plum Island, Apr.
10, 1666, among the 203 commoners. All, whose country
rate did not exceed 6 s. 8 d., were to receive a single share,
and 105 received single shares; all, not exceeding 16 s., a
share and a half, and 70 received such; those above 16 s.,
together with magistrates, elders, Messers John Rogers (the
minister) and Thomas Andrews (the schoolmaster) a double
share, and there were 28 to receive them, Thomas Boreman
standing No. 4 on the list. He died in May, 1673, leaving a
will. Mrs. Margaret Boreman, the widow, died Nov. 25,
1679, also leaving a will.

Children of Thomas and Margaret Boreman:

2. Mary, m. Robert Kinsman, jr., b. 1629. He was one of the six

men renowned in the history of Ipswich, who, Aug. 27, 1687,
voted that Andros had no right to tax the people without the
consent of the General Court, for which they were fined and
imprisoned twenty-one days by Andros. On his tombstone
is inscribed, — “Here lieth the body of Quarter Master Rob-
ert Kinsman who died February ye 19, 1712, aged 83 years.”
He was by trade a glazier. His will speaks of children ; Jo-
seph, Robert, Thomas (deceased), Tobijah, Mary, Sarah Per-
kins, Joanna, Margaret and Eunice Burnham.

3. Daniel, b. 1639.

4. Martha, b. 1641 ; m. July 4, 1660, Dea. Thomas Low, b. 1632, at

Chebacco Parish, Ipswich, “malster.” His will mentions
children: Jonathan, Samuel, David, Martha Dodge, Joanna
Dodge, Sarah Low and Abigail Goodhue. The inscriptions
upon tombstones at Essex read: “Here lyes ye body of M^s-
Martha Low wife to Deacon Thomas Low dec<* Jany ye 22<i
1720 in ye 79 year of her age.” “Here lyes ye body of M^-
Thomas Low Deacon who died April ye 1 2 1 7 1 2 aged 80 years.”

“As you are so ware we
As we are you shall be”

5. Thomas, b. 1643; ni. Jan. i, 1667-8, Elizabeth, b. Apr. i, 1650, d.

Dec. 4, 1718, daughter of .Sargent Jacob Perkins. He died
Oct. 3, 1719. Children: Thomas, b. Aug. 8, 1669, m. Sarah
Langley; Jacob, b. June 10, 1671, m. 1699, Martha, widow of
John Rogers; John, b. March 18, 1672-3, no further record ;
Offin, b. Dec. 3, 1676, m. Feb. 28, 1698, Sarah Heard; Mar-
garet, b. Apr. 5, 1681, m. 1703, Thomas Burnam; Elizabeth,
b. Nov. 9, 1686, m. Jedidiah Tittcomb.

io6

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

6. Joanna, b. 1649; 29, 1672, Isaac, son of William Fellows.

She died Mar. 22, 1732. They had children: Isaac, Samuel,
Ephraim, Jonathan and Joanna.

Daniel Borman, born at Ipswich in 1639, married Apr.
12, 1662, Hannah, born Jan. 20, 1639, daughter of Richard and
Alice (Bosworth) Hutchinson who “emigrated to New Eng-
land about 1635 and settled in Salem, owning land also near
Hathorne’s Hill, Beaver Dam Brook,” now a part of Danvers.
Her lineage can be traced back to Barnard Hutchinson, Esq.,
Cowlam, County of York, England, living in 1282. The
Hutchinson family of singers were descendants of her brother.
At the date of his marriage in 1662, according to the records,
“Thomas Boreman gave in wrighting to his sonn Daniel the
one halfe of his dwelling-house, barnes, outhouses, orchyards,
upland and meddows, with all the privileges and appurtenan-
ces, to be presently possessed and enjoyed, &c., &c.” Dan-
iel afterwards decided to settle in Topsfield, and accordingly
conveyed back to his father all right to the home farm in
Ipswich, for ^^225, by a written agreement which was dated
Sept. 27, 1665. In December of the same year, for ;^3i5,
he bought of William Evans, a planter, and Agnes his wife,
a farm of 200 acres, with dwellings, &c., situated in the town
of Topsfield.

This farm was “bounded on the south-east by land of John
Mighill, which he had bought of William Evans ; on the south
by land of William Avery, which he had bought of Daniel
Clarke; on the north by land of Isaac Cummings, which he
had bought of William Evans; on the north-west by land of
Sargent Peabody, and the cowpen which he bought of
Evans.” This cowpen, containing about an acre and bought
by Francis Pebody to enlarge his mill lot, was reserved from
the land sold to Daniel Borman by Evans for that purpose.

It would seem, from the cowpen being so near the mill,
that the dwelling-house of Evans, also, must have been situ-
ated not far from that place. It was probably over the old
cellar-hole in the back pasture, and was pointed out to me in
my childhood by my aunts. It was near the corner, where,
every year within the remembrance of my mother’s family,
the white, fragrant daffodils have come up and blossomed

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD. loy

under the bushes. The daffodil is a native of England, and
I have no doubt that the bulbs were brought over here with
other famil}^ treasures, and were made a part of the first gar-
den of the household. How much the sweet flowers must
have been prized by them in their loneliness, separated as
they were from the dear ones over the sea !

There was still another place a short distance from this
spot, which gave greater evidence of once being a cellar, and
we have been told that an Indian family had lived in the old
house standing there. One of the Bordman wives had been
very kind to the family, giving them food, clothing, etc., and
the squaw, desirous of showing her appreciation and of
making some little return for the kindness rendered, invited
the good wife one day to dine with her. Knowing the
Indian character and not daring to brave their displeasure,
she accepted the invitation and went with many misgivings,
hoping to find some excuse to get away before the time of
the feast. After a little chat, the squaw lifted the lid of the
boiling pot to see how the dinner was progressing. A wood-
chuck had been caught and plunged into the boiling water in
its natural condition, fur and all, the sight of which so affected
the guest that, without any quibbling, she could plead the
excuse of not feeling ver}^ well and make a hasty retreat.

The large tract of 200 acres or more bought by Daniel,
has been variously divided and disposed of to different par-
ties, but the boundary today may be given in general terms
as follows : — Beginning at the bridge near the turnpike, it
was bounded by the mill lot, the mill pond, then the long
stretch of wall to the turnpike, separating it from I. B. Young’s
land, formerly Francis Pebody’s, this wall continuing in
former times running about north-east, to the old Ipswich
road, the north school-house road, part of AverilPs land, the
road by Donaldson’s place, then turning, it takes in a hill
covered with forest trees, a long stretch of meadow, and the
front field to the turnpike again. It took in, besides, the
land now owned by Miss Hattie Porter, by Benjamin C. Dodd,
by Daniel Conant, the field adjoining, now belonging to
Fred Smerage, and stretching back from these to the top of
Great Hill. It also took in a part of the land owned by the
late George H. Pevear. The “mill path,” as the first road

io8

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

was called, cut off a strip of land which was left adjoining the
land of Francis Pebody, now the Pevear estate. April i,
1794, Daniel Bordman, the great-grandson of Daniel Bor-
man, the first settler, sold this strip to Jacob Peabody, the
great-grandson of Francis Pebody. J. Waldo Townc came
into possession of a part of Jacob Peabody’s estate, and in
1846 had the old Peabody house taken down, building the
present house in 1847 upon the corner of the Borman strip
of land. Thus it will be seen that all the houses in Spring-
ville except “the old Perley house,” on “William Av^ery’s
land,” have been built upon the original Borman farm ; name-
ly, the Borman house, now owned by the heirs of B. B. Towne,
and the houses owned by Miss Hattie Porter, Benjamin C.
Dodd, Daniel Conant, the late George H. Pevear, and the late
Elmore Johnson. Besides these are the houses of Albert H.
Davison, and the late Mrs. Maria Jane Hobbs, making eight
in all.

At the beginning of the year 1803, the Legislature incor-
porated a turnpike from Newburyport to Chelsea Bridge,
which passed through a part of the Borman Estate. This
with the “mill-paths,” so called, cut off three or four small
pieces of land from the main estate, which were afterwards
sold and on which some of the dwelling-houses I have men-
tioned were built.

On June 23, 1681, Daniel Borman sold to Tobijah Perkins,
son of Rev. William Perkins, the “northeast end of his farm,
containing 40 acres more or less, bounded on the north by
the land of Tobijah Perkins, which he bought of Isaac Cum-
mings, (now owned by Miss Mary T. Robinson) ; on the
northwest by the land of Lieut. Francis Pebody; on the
southeast by land of Ensign Thomas Howlett; on the south
by land of Daniel Borman aforesaid ; excepting a highway
for said Borman and his successors to pass through to
Ipswich”.

The first mention of Daniel’s name in the town records is
the following ; — “At a Lawfull Towne meeting the 19 of March
1666-7 Thomas perkins ffrancis pebody and John Gould are
Chosen to Vew and a gree with Daniell Borman for a hie way
betwene William Auriell house and the mill throw his ground
as they shall see most Conuenyant. Voted.”

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

“At a Lawfull Towne meeting ye 8 of Apriell 1667 The
Towne hath granted Liberty to William Auriell and Daniell
Borman to make a dame at the mile brooke a rod and a
halfe aboue the bridge to float there medovv prouided it be
no damage to the Towne. Voted.”

Concerning the road, we find record, — “At a Lawfull
Towne meeting ye 3 of Jenewary 1670 Lieut ffraincis pebody
Ensigne John Gould and Thomas perkins being Chosen by
ye Towne to Lay out a highway through part of William
Aueriell Land and through part of Daniell Borman Land to
the Northward side of Mr. perkins his home ffeild haue
accordingly don it ye Which highway is Laid out from the
Vpper end of William Aueriell orchard one rod and a halfe
wide to ye afore said northward side of Mr. perkins his feild
and so through Daniell Borman Land one ye northward sid
of Mr. perkins ffeild to the former highway againe.” A part
of this highway or mill path is now called “The lane”.

Daniel Borman held town offices as tithing man, “fence
vewer”, “Commity”, “Soruaure of hiwaes”, and selectman
from 1668 to 1673. He and his wife probably united with
the Church soon after coming to Topsfield. He died Apr.
27, 1708.

Children of Daniel and Hannah Borman:

7. Joseph, b. in Ipswich, bet. 1662 and 1666.

k Mary, b. in Ipswich, m. Jan. 23, 1705-6, Ebenezer, son of Abra-
ham and Lydia (Burbank) Foster and lived in Rowley. Chil-
dren: Jemima; Ruth, m. Jacob Wildes and lived in Kenne-
bunk, Me.; Moses, m. Hannah Andrews.

9. Nathaniel, b. in Ipswich, bet. 1662 and 1666.

10. Thomas, b. in Topsfield, July 15, 1666. Of him nothing definite
is known unless the following record in the “Book of Eastern
Claims” has reference to him, which seems probable. —
“Thomas Bordman, Ipswich, claimed Two Hundred Acres of
Land, part upland, part meadow, lying within the bounds of
ye township of Cape Porpas, lying near to ye deserts and ad-
jacent to some of Major Phillips, his land granted him by ye
Major part of ye Inhabitants of said Town at a legal meeting
May ye 8^^, 1688, as per instrument attested by Pen of ye
principal Inhabitants of said Town then on y« s<^ 8*^ of May,
1688, subscribed.” Another record gives his age at that date
as 22 years, which would be just the age of Thomas, who was
born in 1666. The only other Thomas, grand-son of the em-
igrant Thomas, would be too young, as he was born in 1669.
That it speaks of him as “Thomas Bordman, Ipswich,” might

no THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

be misleading, but the marriage of his younger sister is re-
corded, “Hannah Bordman, Ipswich.”

11. Hannah, b. in Topsfield, Feb. i8, 1670; m. Eleazer, son of John

and Rebecca (Prince) Putnam of Salem Village; lived in
Topsfield until after the birth of two or three children and
then removed to Salem Village. Children: Hannah, m. Dea.
Nathan Peabody; Eleazer, m. Mrs. Hannah (Williams) Bill-
ings of Groton, Conn.; Sarah; Jeptha, m. ist, Ruth Fuller,
2nd, Mrs. Ruth Raymond of Beverly; Joseph; Samuel, m.
Elizabeth Putnam.

Hannah d. , and Eleazer m. 2nd, Elizabeth Rolfe of

Newbury, sister of the wife of Nathaniel Bordman and had:

Henry, m. Hannah ; Apphiah, m. ist, John Porter of

Salem Village, 2nd, Asa Perley of Boxford.

Mary C. Endicott, wife of the Hon. Joseph Chamberlain,
Colonial Secretary of England, is a descendant of Eleazer and
Hannah (Bordman) Putnam through their son Samuel.

12. Wait John, b. Aug. 23, 1676, in Topsfield; styled “John” in af-

ter years.

13. David, b. June 21, 1682, in Topsfield; unm; d. Feb. i, 1724, at

Preston, Conn.

14. Jonathan, b. June 21, 1682, in Topsfield; unm.; d. Oct. 3, 1723,

at Topsfield.

Joseph Bordman, born in Ipswich between 1662 and
1666, married, Feb. 17, 1696-7, Prudence, born May 23,
1675, daughter of Isaac and Hannah (Downing) Foster. He
received of his father the tract of land lying between the part
sold to Tobijah Perkins and the part reserved for the home-
stead. The house in which Joseph lived was probably built
for him at the time of his marriage, and was the one which
was burned a few years ago. A roadway was made by travel
from his father’s house to his, with gates to be opened where
it led from one piece of land to another, as was the custom
in the old English homes, but there were no pretty green
hedges to separate the fields, as were used in England instead
of walls and fences. This roadway, with some little altera-
tion, was made a county road in 1857, thus rendering a more
direct route to Ipswich.

Joseph served the town as “cunstable,” treasurer, “serueyer
of highways,” and was selectman in 1715. He, with wife
Prudence, united with the church in Topsfield, Apr. 25,
1708. He died May 18, 1737. His widow died Oct.
28, 1755.

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD. Ill

Concerning the disposal of his property we find the follow-
ing record: — Nov. 13, 1734, “I, Joseph Bordman (for £200
if demanded) give to my two daughters, Abigail Cummings
and Hannah Perkins, all my estate real and personal which is
not otherwise disposed of at my and my present wife’s de-
cease.”

In 1742, his widow Prudence and two daughters sold the
place to Elisha Cummings, son of the daughter Abigail. In
1767, Elisha sold it to his brother Palatiah, who in turn, in
1786, sold the same to a nephew. Rev. Joseph Cummings.
In 1787, he sold it to Daniel Towne, who had married
Hannah, daughter of Capt. John Boardman living at the
homestead. In about a month, Daniel Towne sold “one half
the farm with one half the buildings thereon and one half the
outlying meadows,” to Asa Perkins, the grand-son of Abigail
Cummings, who had married Hannah Johnson of Limerick,
Me., the grand-daughter of Capt. John Boardman. Mr.
Humphrey Balch, a grand-son of Hannah, has related of her
that without escort she rode to Limerick, Me., horseback, in
one day, carrying an infant in her arms. This story has since
been confirmed by a relative now living in Maine. What
longings must have filled her heart for the old familiar faces
and scenes of her childhood’s home, to go in such a manner,
through lonely spots and long stretches of woods, with per-
haps only a bridle path before her in many places !

Asa Perkins, the last of the Borman descendants to live
there, died in 1825, and the place passed into the hands of
strangers. Joshua Wildes and Stephen Bartlett, who bought
it of the heirs of Asa Perkins, held it for many years, and
after their death it was purchased by James Manning. It
was during his ownership that the buildings were burned one
very cold night in midwinter. One of the younger daughters
was so frightened that she caught up a little sister in her arms
and ran barefooted over the snow for nearly half a mile to
one of the neighbors, and at twelve o’clock at night made
known the sad story. A temporary shelter was soon con-
structed, and in time the present house was erected over the
old cellar. The heirs of James Manning sold the estate to
Albert Davison, the present owner. He sold a small piece
of land to Mrs. M. J. Hobbs, who had a house built upon it.

I 12

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

Children of Joseph and Prudence Bordman :

15. Abigail, b. Sept. 8, 1700; d. Oct. 5, 1771; m. Mar. 8, 1716-17,

Isaac, son of Isaac and Alice (Hewlett) Cummings. Children :
Abigail, m. Samuel Potter of Ipswich ; Elisha, m. Mary An-
drews; Mary, m. Ezekiel Potter of Ipswich; Joseph, m. ist,
Mary Hale, 2nd, Judith Perkins; Hannah, m. Robert Perkins;
Pelatiah, m. ist, Sarah Kimball, 2nd, Sarah Hammond.

16. Hannah, b. Aug. 16, 1703; d. Apr. 27, 1783; m. ist, Dec. 5, 1721,

Jacob, son of Elisha and Katherine (Towne) Perkins. Chil-
dren: Catherine, Hannah, Ruth, Abigail, Prudence, Jacob, m.
Martha Tappan; Lucy, Lydia, Joseph, m. Anna Batchelder;
Zebulon, m. Mary Wildes; Elisha, m. Mrs. Jane Manning
of Ipswich; Abel. Hannah m. 2nd, Aug. 23, 1763, John
Batchelder.

Nathaniel Bordman, born in Ipswich between 1662 and
1666, married, June 28, 1710, Abigail, daughter of Benjamin
and Apphiah (Hale) Rolfe of Newbury. He bought land in
Connecticut, which he afterwards sold, and settled down at
the homestead in Topsfield.

Daniel Borman, after having given his eldest son Joseph a
portion of land and two small tracts to Jonathan, next pro-
vided for his son Wait John, for, according to the records,
March 21, 1700, he gave to John all the homestead with
buildings thereon, except that which he had given to his son
Joseph and “six acres of tillage belonging to the Old Field
and four acres belonging to the Brook Meadow,” which he
had given to his son Jonathan. In his will, Jonathan gave
this land to Moses and Ruth, the children of his sister Mary
Foster. Wait John seems to have concluded to leave home
and go away to try his fortune, for we find that in 1704 he
sold the homestead to his brother Nathaniel and went to
Connecticut to live.

Nathaniel was a man prominent in public affairs. He was
town-treasurer, selectman five years and went as representa-
tive four years. In 1723 he is styled “Corporal” and in 1728
“Quartermaster”. Over a hundred years later, when the old
chimney of the house was taken down in 1845, there was
found in a niche of the chimney a paper which proved to be
his commission from Lieut.-Gov. William Dummer, as Quar-
termaster, and dated Aug. 16, 1723.

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

In 1736, the “year of an epidemic,” the throat distemper,
he lost his two children by death. Left without heirs, he
must have sent to his brother John, in Connecticut, for one
of the sons to come and care for him in his old age, for his
nephew John is found living here after 1744 by the recorded
births of children, and the homestead was given to him in
his uncle’s will. Nathaniel lived to be over 90 years of age.
In his will he remembers most of his own and his wife’s rela-
tions, making abundant provision, also, for his housekeeper
Mrs. Elizabeth Stephens. He also gives the “Church in
Topsfield £^. 6s. 8d. towards building a new meeting-house
provided they set it in the same place.”

His wife Abigail united with the church Aug. 30, 1719,
and he, Oct. 29, 1749. Abigail died Aug. ii, 1749. He
died Mar. 7, 1758, “an aged man.”

WILL OF NATHANIEL BORDMAN.

“In the name of God amen the tenth day of November in
the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred fifty & six,
I Nathaniel Bordman of Topsfield in the County of Essex in
New England, gentleman, being of perfect mind and memory,
thanks be given unto Almighty God therefor, calling to mind
the mortality of my body, & knowing that it is appointed for
men once to die, do make & ordain this my last Will & Tes-
tament, that is to say principally & first of all, I give and
recommend my Soul into the Hands of God that gave it,
hoping through the merits, death & passion of my Savior
Jesus Christ to have full & free pardon of all my sins, and
to inherit Everlasting Life; and my body I commit to the
Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Execu-
tors hereafter named, nothing doubting but at the general
Resurrection I shall Receive the same again by the mighty
power of God & as touching such worldly Estate as it hath
pleased Almighty God to bless me with, I give demise and
dispose of the same in the following manner & form ; that is
to say

“Imprimis I give to the children of my Daughter [in-law]
Martha Chapman deceast the sum of two pounds thirteen
shillings & four pence Lawfull money to be equally divided
among them and to be paid in two years after my Decease.

I 14 the boardman family in topsfield.

“Item I give to my Cozen Samuel Putnam of Danvers the
sum of seventeen pounds Lavvfull money to be paid him in
one year after my Decease.

“Item I give unto my Cozen Jephthah Putnam of Sutton
the Sum of two pounds thirteen shillings & four pence Law-
full money to be paid him in two years after my Decease.

“Item I give unto my Cozen Henry Putnam of Charleston
the sum of fourteen pounds six shillings & eight pence Law-
full money to be paid in one year after my Decease.

“Item I give unto Mrs. Elizabeth Stephens the sum of
sixteen pounds Lawfull money to be paid in one year after
my Decease and allso I give her the feather bed shee now
lies on with sufficient clothes for one bed, allso a little iron
pott & a little iron kettle and allso a little Spinning wheel,
and allso a chamber table, and allso two pewter platters, two
plates and two chairs, and allso the Horse or Horse kind I
shall be owner of at my Decease, with the furnituer belonging
to said horse and two good cows and six sheep, and half the
Corn both Indian & English I shall have in my house or field
at my Decease, together with one half of my meat Butter &
Cheese, and ye one half of my live swine, all the above
Articles to be at her own dispose as shee shall see cause, and
shee to come into possession of the whole, except the money
immediately after my Decease together with the one half of
the cyder I shall leave at my decease, and my Will is that
my Executors hereafter named shall keep the afores*^ live
creatures on the place with good keeping for one year after
my Decease and it is to be understood that the Bed Clothes
above mentioned is to be the best coverlid & two best
blankets & two best sheets. I allso give to Mrs. Elizabeth
Stephens the use and improvement of the West lower room
in my Dwelling House with a privilege for her bed in the
East Chamber and sufficient cellar Room for her own use
for four years after my decease, and five cords of wood for
her fier Ready cutt and brought to the door as shee shall
need the same for the above said years, the aboves*^ Mrs.
Elizabeth Stephens being & for some time hath been my
House-keeper, for which Reason I have given her what is
above expressed. I allso give her the under bed & bolster
& two pillers & two piller cases belonging to said Bed.

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

“Item I give unto my couzen Elijah Bordman of Preston
the sum of six pounds thirteen shillings & four pence Lawfull
money to be paid him in two years after my decease.

“Item I give unto my Couzen Joseph Bordman the sum
of one pound six shillings & eight pence Lawfull money to
be paid unto him two years after my decease.

“Item I give unto the relations of my wife lately deceast
as followeth Viz

“To children of Henry Rolfe Esq. in Newbury deceast the
sum of three pounds Lawfull money and

“To children of Elizabeth Putnam deceast Viz — to Henry
Putnam & Apphiah Porter two pounds Lawfull money equally
between them &

“To my sister in Law Mrs. Dorothy Rolfe deceast her
children the sum of three pounds Lawfull money to be equally
divided between them &

“To Samuel Rolfe of Newbury twenty shillings Lawfull
money &

“To Martha Titcomb the wife of Josiah Titcomb of New-
bury twenty shillings Lawfull money &

“To Dorothy Greenleaf sister to Mr. Samuel Rolfe of
Newbury twenty shillings Lawfull money &

“To Capt John Whipple of Ipswich twenty shillings Law-
full money &

“To Hannah Whipple of Ipswich twenty shillings Lawfull
money all my aforesaid Wife’s Relations to be paid in one
year & a half after my Decease.

“Item I give to the three youngest daughters of my
brother John Bordman of Preston deceast as followeth Viz
To Mary Williams twenty shillings Lawfull money and to
Eunice Perkins twenty six shillings & eight pence Lawfull
money & one sheep and to Lois Cotterell twenty shillings
Lawfull money to be paid in one year after my Decease.

“Item I give unto the children of my brother Joseph
Bordman late of Topsfield deceast as followeth Viz To my
couzen Hannah Perkins twenty shillings Lawfull money and
to my couzen Abigail Commings twenty shillings Lawfull
money-and to my Couzen Moses Foster twenty shillings
Lawfull money and to my Couzen Ruth Wildes twenty shil-
lings Lawfull money, all the last mentioned sums to be paid
in two years after my Decease.

Il6 THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

“Item I give unto the Church in the Town of Topsfield
one pound six shillings & eight pence Lavvfull money to be
paid in one year after my Decease

“Item I give unto the town of Topsfield five pounds six
shillings & eight pence Lawfull money towards building a
new meeting House in the Town for the Worship of God
provided they sett it in the same place where the old
meeting House stands in Topsfield to be paid half a year
after s*^ House is raised.

“Item I give to my couzen John Bordman in Topsfield
all my lands and meadows & Buildings in Topsfield aforesaid,
and all Lands or Marsh in Ipswich or in any other place
where the same may be found together with all the instru-
ments for husbandry.

“Item I give to John Back who hath lived in the house
sometime with me two pounds Lawfull money or a good
cow, in half a year after my Decease.

“Item I give unto my Couzen Nathaniel Bordman a
feather Bed & bed clothes convenient for it & allso a two
year old heifer & one half of my wearing clothes & one Bible.

“Item I give unto my Couzen Hannah Putnam wife to
Henry Putnam one steer a year old.

“Item I give unto Jephthah Putnam Jonathan Rolfe
Elijah Bordman Joseph Bordman Hannah Putnam wife to
Henry Putnam Eunice Perkins wife to Stephen Perkins
Moses Foster Ruth Wildes wife to Jacob Wildes & to my
couzens Abigail Bordman and Hannah Perkins the wife of
Jacob Perkins & to Mrs. Elizabeth Stephens over and above
what I have already given them all the remaining part of my
Estate that is already or shall be hereafter given away to
be equally divided among them.

“Item I give unto my Couzen Samuel Putnam over &
above what I have already given him my great Brass kettle.

“Item I give unto my Couzen John Bordman over and
above what I have already given him two third parts of the
cattle & sheep that may be left at my Decease besides what I
have already given away in this Will and allso half the corn
that I shall leave.

“I do hereby constitute & Ordain the abovesaid John
Bordman one of my executors to this my Last Will & Testa-

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

merit, who is to pay and discharge all my debts & legacies &
funeral charges. I do allso constitute & appoint my Couzens
Samuel Putnam and Henry Putnam my other two Executors
to see this my Last Will and Testament fulfilled. And I do
utterly disallow Revoke disannull all & every other former
wills legacies & bequests by me heretofore made Ratifiying
& confirming this & no other to be my Last Will and Testa-
ment, in witness whereof I have hereunto sett my Hand &
Seal the day & year abovesaid or written.

“Signed sealed published & Declared by the s*^ Nathaniel
Bordman as his Last Will & Testament in presence of us the
subscribers

s** Tobijah Perkins his

Daniel Gould Nathaniel K7 Bordman” [Seal]

Thomas Baker mark

Children of Nathaniel and Abigail:

17. Nathaniel, b. Apr. 9, 1711; m. Apr. i, 1736, Martha Parley of

Ipswich. He died Aug. 26, 1736, and she m. 2nd, John
Chapman, jr. and their children were remembered in the will
of Nathaniel Bordman, father of the first husband.

18. Abigail, bapt. Sept. 5, 1714; d. Sept. 13, 1736.

(Wait) John Boardman, born in Topsfield, Aug. 23,
1676, married May 4, 1713, Mary, daughter of Capt. William
and Hannah Billings of Preston, Conn. The standing of the
family may be learned from the fact that a brother of Mary,
Rev. William Billings, was a graduate of Yale. According
to the custom in those days, the names of the class were given
in the order corresponding to the rank of their families.
William Billings stood third in the list. Jonathan Edwards,
the noted theologian, was a classmate and he ranked fifth.

From the records of Preston we learn that David Borman,
John’s younger brother, was the first of the name to appear
in the town, buying land there in 1703. In 1715, he sold his
first purchase, and going north about a mile, he bought
again, 140 acres for £200, and here he died unmarried in
1724, only four months after the death in Topsfield of his
twin brother Jonathan. This homestead in some way, not
recorded, passed into the hands of Eleazcr Putnam, who must

ii8

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

have been the eldest son of his sister Hannah, for in a subse-
quent transfer of a part of it, Eleazer speaks of the former
owner as, “my uncle David Bordman.”

Nathaniel also bought land there, bounded north by
David’s land, but sold the same shortly after, as recorded, to
“my brother John Bordman, formerly of Topsfield, Massa-
chusetts.” Thus John, to whom the father had given the
homestead in Topsfield, and Nathaniel, who had bought land
in Preston, made an exchange which changed the whole after
course of their lives. After David’s death, John sold this
tract of land bought of Nathaniel, and purchased two thirds
of the farm that was David’s. Eleazer the grantor speaks of
him in the transfer as, “my Uncle John Bordman.” Here
John resided until his death and the same has remained in
the possession of his descendants to this day, unless a change
has been recently made. In the baptismal records at Preston
appears the following, — “Apr. i, 1739— John Bordman, adult,
Mary Bordman, adult. Hannah, child of John Bordman.”
He died Feb. 2, 1739. His widow survived him many years,
dying May 24, 1776.

Children of John and Mary:

19. Unis, b. ; d. Feb. 6, 1714.

20. A child, b. Nov. 15, 1715; d. Nov. 20, 1715.

21. John, b. Dec. 21, 1716.

22. Hannah, b. Oct. 20, 1718.

23. Elijah, b. Mar. 13, 1720; d. Dec. 20, 1759; U49>

Mary Tyler, b. Mar. 13, 1720-1, Preston. Children: Henry;

Elijah, m. 1st, Coit, 2nd, Sabrina Crocker; Jonas,

m. ist, Lorana Benton, 2nd, Elizabeth Jewett; John, m. Cla-
rinda Starbuck; Mary, m. John Tyler.

24. Joseph, b. Oct. 20, 1722; d. Sept. 23, 1796; m. Sept. 8, 1749,

Rachel Killam. Children; David, m. Jemima Kinney; Jona-
than, m. Priscilla Safford; Elisha; Hezekiah, m. Hannah
Cook; Mary, m. Robbins; Elizabeth, m. Rob-

bins; Joseph; Rachel, m. Andrew Hewitt; Benjamin, m. Sabra
Brown; Eunice, m. ist, Thomas Meach, 2nd, Merrill Safford;
Lois, m. ist, Dennison Kinney, 2nd, Benjamin Town; Sam-
uel, m. Nancy .

Joseph was commissioned in 1776, Captain of the 2nd com-
pany, or train band, of the 8th Regiment of Conn. His sons
David and Hezekiah, and nephew Elijah were in his company.

25. Mary, b. Mar. 20, 1724; m. Oct. 12, 1743, Henry Williams.

26. Unis, b. July 10, 1728; d. Feb. i, 1813; m. Aug. 10, 1748, Capt.

Stephen, son ©f John and Dorothy (Wildes) Perkins of Tops-
field, and lived in Topsfield. Children; Dorothy, m. Nathaniel

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

II9

Averill; Mary, d. aged 26; Abigail, m. Nathaniel Hammond.

27. Lois, b. Oct. 14, 1730; m. John Cottrell.

Capt. John Boardman, born in Preston, Conn., Dec. 21,
1716, married Jan. 26, 1736, Elizabeth Cagwin, born Feb. 8,
1 714-15, daughter of John and Hannah (Brown) Kegwin, of
Stonington, Conn. Her ancestors belonged to a party of
colonists who settled in Voluntown, Conn., and organized the
first and for many years the only Presbyterian Church in the
State. He lived in Preston until after the birth of the fourth
child, which is recorded there in 1744, and then came to
Topsfield to live with his Uncle Nathaniel, who gave him
the homestead by will. The birth of the next child is
recorded in Topsfield. In the Preston church records among
the names of those who had “owned the covenant” were
John Bordman and Elizabeth his wife. They became mem-
bers of the church in Topsfield, Nov. 23, 1746. He held
town offices as tything man, fence viewer, constable, warden,
hogreeve, school committee, surveyor, overseer, committee
of safety and selectman. He espoused the cause of freedom
by becoming a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He died
Apr. 7, 1780, and is called “Capt. John Bordman, Gent.,” in
the records. His widow died Feb. 3, 1789.

Children of John and Elizabeth:

28. Hannah, b. 1737, in Preston, Conn.; d. Dec. 30, 1814, in Tops-

field; m. Feb. 23, 1761, Lieut. Daniel, son of Philip and
Dinah (Hobbs) Towne. No children.

29. Abigail, b. 1739, 1^ Preston; d. July 8, 1786, in Topsfield; m.

Jan. 4, 1763, Stephen, son of Stephen and Rebecca (Peabody)
Foster of Topsfield. Children: Nathaniel, m. Salome Foster;
Matilda, m. Samuel Bradstreet; Abigail, m. Thomas Cum-
mings. Stephen Foster m. 2nd, Sarah Dorman, lived on the
John Smith farm, in Topsfield on the road leading to Line-
brook.

30. Nathaniel, b. 1741, in Preston; “died in ye war, 1760.”

31. Lois, b. 1744, in Preston; d. Dec. 6, 1792; m. Apr. 26, 1763,

Thomas, son of Thomas and Lydia (Richardson) Cummings.
Lived on the “Reuben Smith farm”, Topsfield. Children:
Jonas, m. Hepzibah Knowlton; Joseph; Thomas, m. Abigail
Foster; Nathaniel; Daniel; John Boardman, m. ist, Rebecca
Balch, of Topsfield, 2nd, Martha Knowlton, of Hamilton.

32. Elizabeth, b. Sept. 18, 1746, in Topsfield; m. Benjamin John-

son, of Ipswich. After the birth of their seventh child they

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

went to Limerick, Me., and were among the first settlers of
that town, Mary, the eighth child, being the first white child
born in that place. He was town clerk in 1782, and deacon
of the Congregational Church for many years. Children:
Boardman, m. Keziah Foster; Daniel, m. Susannah Perkins;
Benjamin, sea captain; Joseph, m. Betsey McKusick; Josiah,
m. Esther Perkins; Hannah, m. Asa Perkins of Topsfield,
and lived there; Elizabeth, m. Daniel Hazeltine; Mary, m.
Joseph Gilpatrick; John, married, and lived in Burlington, Vt.

33. John, b. Sept. 24, 1748; d. Jan. 28, 1771; m. Nov. 8, 1770, Bethiah

Giddings, of Ipswich. She m. 2nd, Josiah Fitts of Ipswich,
3rd, June 3, 1777, John Gould, jr., of Topsfield.

34. Mary, b. Mar. 12, 1751; d. May 5, 1803; m. Dec. 6, 1781, Josiah,

son of Thomas and Anna (Kettell) Cummings. Lived in
Andover.

35. Daniel, b. Dec. 26, 1752.

36. Eunice, b. Feb. i, 1755; d. July 12, 1768.

Capt. Daniel Boardman, born in Topsfield Dec. 26,
1752, married (pub.) Nov. 24, 1776, Lydia Bishop of Row-
ley. Daniel was attending school away from home when his
only brother suddenly sickened and died leaving the father
alone upon the farm. He obeyed the call of duty and came
home to be a comfort and help to the bereaved parents.
After the death of his father he came into possession of the
homestead by buying out the rights of his five sisters and
their husbands, according to the following contract; — “Oct.
2, 1782. We, Daniel Towne of Topsfield, gentleman, and
Hannah his wife, and Stephen Foster of Topsfield, yeoman,
and Abigail his wife, and Thomas Cummings, gentleman, of
Topsfield, and Lois his wife, and Benjamin Johnson, joiner,
of Limerick, Co. of York, Me., and Elizabeth his wife, and
Josiah Cummings of Andover, yeoman, and Mary his wife,
all of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for and in con-
sideration of £20 given to us by our brother Daniel Board-
man, yeoman, aforesaid, to our full satisfaction and content,
all being children of, and heirs to, the estate that our honored
father, Capt. John Bordman, late of Topsfield, deceased,
died seized of, intestate ; also in consideration that we have
received two thirds part of our father’s personal estate, &c.
&c. give up all claim to our father’s estate.”

Daniel served the town as tythingman, warden, fish com-
mittee, hayward, surveyor, and school committee. He was

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

a captain of the militia in Topsfield, also a soldier in the
Revolution. He died May i, 1803, aged 50. The Salem
Register, May 9, 1803, speaks thus of the funeral services : —
“On Tuesday last was interred at Topsfield, Capt. Daniel
Boardman, with every token of respect for his memory, and
sympathy for his afflicted family. As it was on the day
assigned to military parade and review, the militia company
in the town, the command of which he had recently resigned,
appeared under arms on the occasion, commanded by Capt.
Bradstreet, and went through those movements and positions
usual on such occasions, attended with solemn music. — The
order and decorum of the military made a favorable impres-
sion on a numerous assemblage of people. The solemnity
observable on the occasion was expressive of the public
estimation of an honest man, a good neighbor, and a worthy
citizen.” Mr. David Kimball of Portsmouth, N. H., one of
Topsfield’s worthy sons, once spoke of being a witness to the
scene. He said he was a very small lad and rode on the
horse with his father. The sight of the Company drawn up
in military array in front of the house and the solemnity of
the service, so impressed him that it became indellibly
stamped upon his memory.

His widow, Lydia, after having buried in Topsfield her
second husband, John Batchelder, went to spend the remain-
ing years of her life with her daughter Betsey Marden, in
Pittsfield, N. H., and passing away Oct. 12, 1841, at the age
of 88, was laid in her last resting-place among the New
Hampshire hills.

Children of Daniel and Lydia:

37. Eunice, b. Jan. 8, 1778; d. May 2, 1852; m. ist, Nov. 30, 1797,

Jonathan Porter of Danvers; 2nd, Oct. 16, 1810, Jeremiah
Putnam of Danvers. Their only child, Joseph Porter Put-
nam, when not quite five years old, was crossing the bridge
at Danversport, where he lived, and a drove of sheep came
along. Becoming frightened, he climbed the railing and,
leaning over too far, fell into the water and was drowned.

38. John, b. Oct. 10, 1779.

39. Bishop, b. Sept. 26, 1781; d. Oct. 20, 1853, in Danvers, unm.

He spent the last of his days with his brother Nathaniel.

40. Daniel, b. Nov. ii, 1783.

41. Betsey, b. Jan. 8, 1785; d. Aug. 10, 1875, at Pittsfield, N. H.; m.

Mar. 4, 1824, David Marden. One child, Julia Marden, d.
aged 24 years.

122

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

42. Lydia, b. 1787; d. Sept. 9, 1796, “8 yrs. old.”

43. Nathaniel, b. Sept. 29, 1790.

44. Sally, b. Dec. 3, 1793; d. Aug. 28, 1872; m. Mar. 12, 1812, Ben-

jamin, b. Dec. 22, 1793; d. Mar. 29, 1879, son of Jacob and
Rachel (Cain) Townc; lived in Topsfield. Children: Benja-
min Boardman, m. Esther Peabody; Alfred Porter, m. Har-
riet Newell Peabody; Jacob Aden, m. Sarah Peabody; Eu-
nice Elizabeth, m. Benjamin Glazier; Elisha Huntington, m.
Ann Sillars; Jeremiah Stone, died young; Sally Ann, m.
Charles Procter; Caroline Haskell.

John Boardman, born in Topsfield, Oct. 10, 1779, mar-
ried, Mar. 18, 1802, Rebecca, born Jan. 7, 1782, daughter of
John and Bethiah (Giddings) Gould. They lived in Tops-
field. He died June 17, 1856, and his widow died May 12,
1861.

Children of John and Rebecca: ,

45. John, b. 1802.

46. Lydia, b. Jan. 10, 1804; m. ist, Thomas Lord (Child: Charles

Lord, m. Lizzie Trask), 2nd, Capt. William Weirs. Lived
in Salem.

47. Eunice, b. Apr. 9, 1806; d. July 7, 1872; m. July 17, 1827, Benja-

min Franklin Rogers of Salem. Lived in Salem. Children:
Eunice Rebecca, m. Capt. Charles C. Osgood; Joseph Porter,
m. Mary Wilson; Nancy Augusta, m. Robert Barr; Lydia
Lord, m. John Boyd; Benjamin Franklin, m. Fannie Sleeper.

48. Sally, b. Oct. 24, 1808; d. July ii, 1882; m. (pub.) July 29, 1832,

Cyrus, son of Aaron and Lucy (Hobbs) Kneeland. Lived
in Topsfield and Georgetown. Children: Cyrus Alonzo, m.
Eliza Welch; Melissa, m. John Scates; Edgar, m. Rosetta
Sullivan; Lydia, m. William Spofford; Charles, m. Lizzie
Hunkins; Mary, m. Ansel Sleeper; Asa Pingree, d. in car
coming home on furlough during Civil War; Frank; James;
Rebecca.

49. Daniel, b. Apr. ii, 1811.

Daniel Boardman, born in Topsfield, Nov. ii, 1783,
married Mar. 15, 1804, Elizabeth, born Mar. 17, 1785, daugh-
ter of Zaccheus and Anna (Brown) Gould. They lived in
Topsfield. He died at sea, and she married, second, Arte-
mus Perley of Boxford.

Children of Daniel and Elizabeth:

50. Elizabeth, b. 1804; m. Aug. 4, 1822, Samuel Janes. Lived in

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

Topsfield. She d. May 6, 1875. Children: Eunice Gould, m.

James Connelly; John Collins, m. ist, Sophia , 2nd,

Sarah ; Samuel Augustus, m. Eliza Brown; Daniel

Boardman, m. ist, Orissa Andrews, 2nd, Cynthia Wildes;
Elizabeth, m. John Ingalls; Joseph Porter, m, Margaret P.
Hobson; Mary Ann, m. Nahum Getchell; Emily Augusta, m.
James Wilson; Susan Maria, m. Robert Getchell; Wm.
Henry, unm.; Harriet Ellen, m. Herbert Niles; Theodora, m.
Benjamin Hall; Julia Preston, m. George Gerry.

51. Anna Brown, b. Aug. 30, 1806; m. Dec., 1824, Samuel Goodale

of Lunenburg, Vt. She d. Nov. 12, 1871 and he d. Jan. 3,
1872. Children: Elizabeth Anne, m. Aaron Pillsbury of
Georgetown; Arabella Johnson, m. Silas Page Lake; Lisa Ma-
ry, m. William B. Pillsbury of Georgetown; Juliana Aurelia,
m. Allen Gould; Susan Maria, m. Cleveland Gould (At a
family gathering a few years ago, five generations were repre-
sented, including the mother of Mr. Gould, 95 yrs. old, and
his great-granddaughter, Dorothy B. Chase, an infant.);
Elmira Minerva, m. Albert Walbridge of Worcester; Nancy
Jane, m. George Savary of Groveland; Huldah Perley, m.
Moses H. Harriman of Groveland; Samuel Densmore, m.
Mary Frances Wiggin of Reading; Charles Alden, m. Abi-
gail Jelleson of Rowley; Arthur Ward, lost at sea. Sept.,
1867.

52. Daniel, b. Dec. 12, 1808.

Nathaniel Boardman, born in Topsfield, Sept. 29, 1790,
married, first. May 16, 1816, Nancy, born Oct. 30, 1795,
daughter of Israel and Anna (Endicott) Putnam. She died
Mar. 19, 1823, and he married, second, Nov. 25, 1824, Anna,
born Oct. 27, 1792, daughter of David and Elenor (Haskell)
Putnam. He was a shoe manufacturer and lived in Danvers.
He was for many years one of the Trustees of the Danvers
Savings Bank. He died in Danvers, Oct. 27, 1876, and his
wife died June 27, 1872.

Children of Nathaniel and Nancy:

53. Israel Putnam, b. Apr. 16, 1817.

Children of Nathaniel and Anna:

54. Nancy Ellen, b. Nov. 28, 1825, in Danvers; m. Apr. 12, 1855,

Edward Augustus Lord of Ipswich. They lived in Danvers
and Evanston, 111., where she died Mar. ii, 1891. Children:
Anna Putnam, m. Frank Edwin Miller of Evanston; Frank
Elmer; Alonzo Boardman; Percy Augustus; Mary Wade.

55. Caroline Haskell, b. Mar. 28, 1829; d. Feb. 7, 1833.

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

56. Nathaniel Holten, b. Mar. 28, 1829.

57. Alonzo Bishop, b. June 26, 1831; d. Feb. 9, 1848.

58. Horace Webster, b. June 3, 1834.

John Boardman, born in Topsfield, 1802, married Nov.
22, 1838, Louisa Searle, born May 19, 1808, daughter of
John and Elizabeth (Searle) McKenzie. They lived in
Topsfield. He died Feb. 24, 1884, and his widow died Mar.
10, 1887.

Children of John and Louisa Searle:

59. Thomas Greenleaf, b. Feb. 12, 1839. Went west to live.

60. Adelaide Louisa, b. Sept. 9, 1841; m. Aug. 22, 1868, Benjamin

Colby, son of Benjamin C. and Elizabeth (Goodell) Dodd.

61. Eunice Putnam, b. Jan. 4, 1844; d- Apr. 6, 1853.

62. Elizabeth, b. Jan. 30, 1846; m. July 2, 1868, Francis Creelman

Frame of Boxford. Live in Topsfield. Children: Della
May, m. Fred Deering; Bessie Louise, m. John Leonard
Fiske; Ralph Greenleaf, m. Rose M. Libby; Grace Adelaide;
Roy Francis; Elsie Belle; Bernice Damon.

63. Alfred, b. June 24, 1848; d. Apr. 28, 1851.

Daniel Boardman, born in Topsfield, Apr. ii, 1811,
married Sarah Bruce of Salem. They lived in Salem and
Boston.

Children of Daniel and Sarah:

64. Augusta, m. Joseph de Freys.

65. Sarah, m. Charles Eames. Child: Nellie Augusta.

66. George, b. in Salem; m. Lucy Turner. Children: Augusta,

Daniel.

67. Charles.

Daniel Boardman, born in Topsfield, Dec. 12, 1808,
married Apr. 29, 1830, Mehitable Balch, born Nov. 19, 1813,
daughter of Moses and Phebe (Brocklebank) Nelson of
Georgetown. He was a musician of some note and during
the Civil War was a member of the band attached to the
17th Regt. Massachusetts Volunteers. He died in George-
town, June 18, 1891.

Children of Daniel and Mehitable Balch:

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

68. Mary Elizabeth, b. Dec. 25, 1830, in Georgetown; m. May 20,

1848, Hiram A. Bagley. Children: Emma Frances; Charles;
William; Frank; Cora Picolomini; Annie Florence; Herbert
Prescott.

69. Charles Greenleaf, b. Mar. 17, 1833.

70. Mehitable Nelson, b. Dec. 9, 1834, in South Danvers; m.

Dec. 15, 1853, Proctor S. Dwinnell. Children: Frank Story;
P. Everett; George Nelson.

71. Olive Maria, b. Mar. 18, 1837, in Marblehead; m. June 18, 1855,

George E. Batchelder of Topsfield. Children: Grace Ellen,
d. 1884; George Wellington.

72. Phebe Augusta, b. Oct. 9, 1839, in Georgetown; m. Apr. 3, 1865,

Charles H. Dow. Child: Helen Elizabeth.

73. Abbie Huldah, b. Feb. 3, 1842, in Georgetown; m. May i, 1863,

Alphonso Munday of Topsfield, who d. Mar. 30, 1880. Child:
Thomas Fred.

74. Sarah Charlotte, b. June 10, 1844, in Georgetown; m. Dec. 8,

1869, Henry Browning, who d. Aug. 10, 1873.

75. Moses Nelson, b. Oct. 3, 1846.

76. Ella Sophronia, b. May 30, 1851, in Boxford; d. Jan. 19, 1865.

Israel Putnam Boardman, born in Danvers, Apr. 16,
1817, married July ii, 1842, Caroline Elizabeth, born Mar.
15, 1823, daughter of Moses and Mehitable (Upton) Gould.
He was a shoe manufacturer and lived in Danvers, where he
died Feb. 17, 1891.

Children of Israel Putnam and Caroline Elizabeth:

77. Mary Alice, b. June 10, 1844; m. Oct. 17, 1865, George Faxon

of Quincy. Children: Caroline B.; Grace B.; Endicott.

78. Lewis Augustus, b. June 21, 1846.

79. Minerva Inez, b. Mar. 22, 1850; m. Dr. Samuel N. French.

Nathaniel Holten Boardman, born in Danvers, Mar.
28, 1829, married Dec. 16, 1857, Harriet Maria, born Jan. 16,
1833, daughter of Simeon and Harriet (Whittier) Putnam.
They lived in Danvers, where she died Sept. 19, 1882.
Children of Nathaniel Holten and Harriet Maria;

80. Elizabeth Gardiner, b. Dec. i, 1861; m. June i, 1893, Charles

W., son of William O. and Martha (Caldwell) Hood. Live
in Danversport.

81. Ralph Holten, b. June 30, 1867.

126

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

Horace Webster Boardman, born in Danvers, June 3,
1834, married Nov. 25, 1876, Lucy, born Sept. 2, 1848,
daughter of Noah B. and Mary F. (Lane) Church of New-
buryport. They live in Danvers.

Child of Horace Webster and Lucy:

82. Leslie Putnam, b. Apr. 29, 1880; m, Apr. 23, 1902, Myra, b.

Aug. 10, 1883, daughter of John and Margaret Haines. Live
in Danvers.

Charles Greenleaf Boardman, born in Georgetown,
Mar. 17, 1833, married May 28, 1867, Louise Frances Nichols.
They lived in Roxbury. She died Jan. 3, 1876.

Children of Charles Greenleaf and Louise Frances:

83. Mabel Louise, b. July 18, 1869; d. Apr. 30, 1875.

84. Charles Seth, b. Nov. 29, 1873.

Moses Nelson Boardman, born Oct. 3, 1846, in George-
town, married Sept. 28, 1867, Martha, born Nov. 12, 1848,
daughter of Thomas K. and Louisa (Morgan) Leach of
Topsfield. They live in Georgetown where he is engaged in
the grocery business.

Children of Moses Nelson and Martha:

85. Willie Nelson, b. May 6, 1870; d. July 13, 1870.

86. Harry Woodbury, b. May 6, 1874.

87. Seth Howard, b. Aug. 3, 1882.

Ralph Holten Boardman, born in Danvers, June 30,
1867, married Sept. 30, 1886, Helen Frances Crocker, born
June 29, 1869. They live in Danvers.

Children of Ralph Holten and Helen Frances.

88. Cleon Whittier, b. June 12, 1887; d. Sept. 12, 1889.

89. Gladys Putnam, b. May 6, 1889.

90. Holten Gardiner, b. Jan. 12, 1891.

91. Nelson, b. Apr. 20, 1896.

92. Rodney, b. Feb. 21, 1898.

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

127

Harry Woodbury Boardman, born in Georgetown,
May 6, 1874, married June 10, 1895, Blanche, born Jan. 24,
1875, in Brookfield, daughter of William and Annie (Hilton)
Allen. Live at Worcester.

Child of Harry Woodbury and Blanche:

93. Nellie B., b. Apr. 2, 1897.

In 1807, the heirs of Capt. Daniel Boardman sold a part
of the farm and one-half the house to John P. 'Peabody, who
was a descendant of Joseph Boardman, through his daughter
Abigail Cummings. In 1835, they sold the remaining part
of the farm and the other half of the house to Benjamin
Boardman Towne, a grandson of Capt. Daniel Boardman.
In 1843, B. B. Towne bought out John P. Peabody, thus
owning the whole Boardman farm, and the homestead
remains in the possession of his heirs at the present time.
Thus it is plainly seen that the Borman homestead has been
occupied by Daniel Borman and his descendants to the eighth
generation, including the children of one of the present heirs.
Daniel Borman, the first settler, has not a representative in
Topsfield today bearing his name. Through the daughters,
however, he is represented by a great many of its citizens,
bearing the names of Averill, Balch, Cummings, Gould,
Peterson, Perkins, Todd, and Towne. The house, which was
built on its present site in 1697 ^or Daniel and Hannah Hutch-
inson Borman was considered unusually large for those times.
In 1843, when it came into the possession of Benj. B. Towne,
few changes, probably, had been made, and, as may be imag-
ined, it was in rather a dilapidated condition, but the old oaken
frame remained firm and strong. The large old chimney
was taken down that year, and the house remodeled, and
with the various changes since made, there is little today to
remind one of its extreme age, except the old-fashioned
beams, now encased, to be seen in some of the rooms, and
the brick and mortar packing between the inner and outer
walls.

128

THE BOARDMAN FAMILY IN TOPSFIELD.

The worn attic stairs, and under the eaves the broken
loom and leaning wheel, the motionless swifts and silent reel,
tell their own story of past labor and long rest.

Facsimile of the signature of Thomas Borman, I60H673.

The illustrations used in connection with this genealogy
are reprinted from The Boardman Genealogy, Hartford,
1895, through the courtesy of William F. J. Boardman of
Hartford, Conn.

VITAL STATISTICS OF TOPSFIELD, MASS.

FOR THE YEAR 1 902.

1902.
Jan. 5.
Feb. 6.

Feb. 12.
Feb. 17.

Mar. 10.

Mar. 16.

June 14.

July 4.
July 15.
Sept. 30.
Oct. 4.

Oct. 8.

Oct. 17.

Nov. 14.
Dec. 23.

BIRTHS.

Mary, dau. of John and Annie (Roach) Fitzgibbons.

Mary Eliza, dau. of Fred Maximilian and Cora Pearle (Kneeland)
Williams.

Alice Louisa, dau. of George Henry and Julia Grace (Kelley) Sweeney.

Clarence Joseph, son of Manuel Frederick and Florence May
(Brown) Castle.

Roger Bradstreet, son of William Henry and Margaret Lena (Culli-
nane) Walsh.

Thomas Wentworth, Jr., son of Thomas Wentworth and Alice
Crowninshield (Rogers) Peirce.

Hazel Kirk, dau. of George Robert and Mary Ann (McQuarrie)
Deering.

Lillian, dau. of Herbert James and Lillian Emily (Wheeler) Wyckoff.

Doris Abbie, dau. of Harland S. and Maud (Fuller) Pierce.

Theodora, dau. of Thomas and Alice May (Peabody) Carmichael.

David James, son of William Shelley and Edith Mary (McCormack)
Andrews.

Herbert Collins, son of Charles Hobart and Mary Elizabeth (Collins)
Lake.

Thomas Arthur Parker, son of Arthur Myron and Elizabeth (Dick-
son) Williamson.

Thelma Annie, dau. of Charles Frank and Emma (Wallace) Welch.

Leslie Randall, son of Ephraim Peabody and Marguerite Agnes (Cope-
land) Ferguson.

130

VITAL STATISTICS FOR I902.

1902.

April I .
April 29.
May 26.
June 18.
June 25.
Aug. 31.
Oct. 8
Oct. 29.

MARRIAGES.

f James Everett Sanders (Topsfield), son of James and Josie (Tink-
J ham) Sanders.

] Mary A. Doyle (Ipswich), daughter of John and Anne (Nolan)
Doyle.

f Timothy Joseph Hickey (Topsfield), son of John and Bridget
j (Dunne) Hickey.

I Catherine Teresa Leary (Boston), daughter of Patrick and Johan-
t nah (Sullivan) Leary.

f Frank A. Crosby (Bridgewater), son of Sylvester and Mary J.
J (Crosby) Crosby.

j Elsie McLean (Danvers), daughter of John and Sarah (McDou-
[ gal) McLean.

r Thomas Lincoln Jenkins (Topsfield), son of Loyal Lovejoy and
J Mary Jane (Norton) Jenkins.

I Lucy Maud Garbutt (Revere), daughter of Andrew and Lucy Ann
[ (Dunderdale) Garbutt.

f Francis Field Lefavour (Topsfield), son of Albert and Harriet
j Rachel (Whiting) Lefavour.

I Dora Annette Cooke (Topsfield), daughter of Samuel and Dinah
[ (Blake) Cooke.

f Herbert Stone Hutchings (Topsfield), son of Urban P. and Esther
J Wildes (Stone) Hutchings.

j Annie Lee Poole ( Topsfield), daughter of Benjamin and Annie E.
(Bartlett) Poole.

f Melvin White Smerage (Topsfield), son of Fred and Ella Augus-
j ta (Chapman) Smerage.

Bessie Evelyn Welch (Topsfield), daughter of Charles Frank and
t Emma (Wallace) Welch.

f James Alvin Gould (Topsfield), son of Samuel and Betsey (Scud-
j der) Gould.

I Mary Gertrude Lowe (Cooper, Me.), daughter of John Alvin and
[ Esther (N odden) Lowe.

1902.
Jan. 5.

Jan. 28.

Feb. 6.

Feb. 17.

Apr. I.

Apr. 9.

Apr. 16.

DEATHS.

Elmore Johnson, son of Josephus and Maria (Willington) Johnson,
75 yrs. 7 mos. 2 dys.

John Bailey, son of John and Nancy (Doe) Bailey, aged 71 yrs. 7
mos. 7 days.

^Albert W. McEuan, son of Henry and Caroline (Newcome) McEuan,
aged 18 yrs. 8 mos. 6 dys.

Frederick Stiles, son of Daniel and Betty (Peabody) Stiles, aged 87
yrs.

Abba Atossa, wife of Wm. H. Walsh, and dau. of Cornelius B. and
Eunice (Bradstreet) Bradstreet, aged 62 yrs. ii mos. 26 dys.

Caroline Perkins, dau. of Ephraim and Sophronia (Cole) Perkins,
aged 41 yrs. 23 dys.

Esther Wildes, widow of Urban P. Hutchings, and dau. of Jeremiah
and Esther (Wildes) Stone, aged 73 yrs. 4 mos.

VITAL STATISTICS FOR 1902.

May 12.
June 7.
Aug. 17.
Sept. 8.
Sept. 17.
Nov. 8.
Nov. 10.
Nov. 16.
Nov. 18.
Dec. 30.

DEATHS (Continued.)

Oscar R. Curtis, son of Francis and Lillian (Brian) Curtis, aged 32
yrs. 4 mos. 12 dys.

*Frank H. Wentworth, of Linebrook Parish, Ipswich, son of Ruben
F. and Mary A. (Smith) Wentworth, aged 43 yrs.

Doris Abbie Pierce, dau. of Harland S. and Maud (Fuller) Pierce,
aged I mo. 3 dys.

Fanny (Small), widow of Daniel Towne, and dau. of Ebenezer and
Nancy (Coleman) Small, aged 89 yrs. 10 mos.

Margaret A., wife of Thomas F. Grantham, and dau. of Robert and
Grant, aged 62 yrs. 9 mos.

Albert Webster, son of Jonathan P. and Susan (Knight) Chapman,
aged 78 yrs. 7 mos. 23 dys.

William G. Lake, son of William G. and Margaret E. (Walker) Lake,
aged 16 yrs. 2 mos i d.

Alphonso Mason, son of Lyman and Malinda (Blood) Mason, aged 72
yrs. 10 dys.

James Wilson, son of Lawrence and Mary (Braselane) Wilson, aged 72
yrs. 9 mos. 18 dys.

David James Andrews, son of William Shelley and Edith Mary (Mc-
Cormack) Andrews, aged 2 mos, 26 dys.

Deaths in other places, interment in Topsfield.

1901.

Josiah Jones, died at Lynn, Mass., aged 51 y. i m. 23 d.

1902.

Jan. 7. George Bixby, died at Haverhill, Mass., aged 79 y. 5 m. 3d.

Feb. 24. Mary Brown Wakefield, died at California, aged 78 y.

Feb. 27. Harriet Brown Johnson, died at California, aged 76 y.

Mar. 23. Betsey E. Kneeland, died at Salem, Mass., aged 39 y. 2 m. 7 d.

Apr. 17. Horace S. Barnard, from tomb, Salem, Mass.

May I. William H. Crosby, died at Danvers, Mass., 64 y. 3 m.

June 7. Carrie A. Pingree, died at Salem, Mass , aged 45 y. 7 m. 3 d.

Oct. 9. Hannah Johnson Merriam, died at Foxborough, Mass., aged 78 y. 9

m. 9 d.

Dec. 15. Harriet Newell Towne, died at Bradford, Mass., aged 86 y. 7 m. 23 d.

Dec. 18. John L. Howe, died at Council Bluffs, la., aged 50 yrs

*Died at the Salem Hospital.

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS, 1902.

Jan. 27.
Jan. 30.
March i.
April 15.
May 17.

June 3.

July 24.

Sept. 15.
Nov. 7.

Dec.
Dec. 28.

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS IN TOPSFIELD IN I902.

Death of John Bailey.

South Side Social Circle organized.

Very high water in the river and washouts in many of the highways.

Rev. E. C. Dixon appointed pastor of the Methodist Church.

The Mass. State Highway Commission awarded $1100.00 to be ex-
pended in Topsfield.

Frank H. Wentworth of Linebrook, a carpenter, fell from the new
stable of Gilbert B. Balch, and died at the Salem Hospital a few
hours later.

Gaius B. Frost, principal of the High School, resigned and Leroy E.
Williams elected to fill the vacancy.

Congregational parsonage sold to Willard Emery of Boston.

Walter Farnham of Linebrook, accidentally shot and killed at
Hood’s Pond.

Coal famine due to coal strike in Pennsylvania.

Rev. H. J. Wyckoff resigned as pastor of the Congregational Church.

BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED DURING THE YEAR 1902.

Dr. H. F. Sears, Perkins Street, green-house and piggery.

Bradley W. Palmer, Asbury Street, residence and stable.

Gilbert B. Balch, Main Street, stable.

Dudley Bradstreet, Main Street, dwelling-house.

Miss Florence M. Gould, Grove Street, dwelling-house.

Merrill B. Bailey, Main Street, house remodeled.

Arthur U. Hutchings, Main Street, stable remodeled.

Thomas E. Proctor, off Perkins Street, house remodeled.

Thomas W. Peirce, Boston Street, green-house.

Eugene L. Wildes, Asbury Street, old barn taken down and carriage-house built.

Internet Archive Audio

Featured

Top

Images

Featured

Top

Software

Featured

Top

Texts

Featured

Top

Video

Featured

Top

Mobile Apps

Browser Extensions

Archive-It Subscription

Save Page Now

Full text of "Historical Collections of the Topsfield Historical Society"

See other formats